What did the ever-quotable Mark Twain reputedly say about history? It doesn’t repeat itself. But if often rhymes.
As Scotland aim to pen their own epic poem of heroic over-achievement at Euro 2024, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge our national team’s history when it comes to group stage deciders at major finals. It does not make for inspiring reading.
Steve Clarke’s men cannot exactly take inspiration from their predecessors as they look to inflict defeat on Hungary. Nor should they be overly affected by the failings of previous generations; nothing that happened in Argentina 46 years ago is likely to have much bearing on the current Scotland team’s ability to get a win in Stuttgart.
But our shared footballing back story? It is what it is. A tale of regular qualification, variable expectations – and inevitable disappointment on the biggest stage.
We’ve ignored the oddities of Scotland’s first two appearances at World Cup finals, if only because they feel just too distant. For the record, manager Andy Beattie resigned after losing our opener to Austria in the strangely formatted 1954 tournament in Switzerland, which saw the Scots play just two games (they also lost 7-0 to Uruguay) before heading home. Four years later, as Uruguay hosted, our boys at least claimed a single point – courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia – but finished bottom of their group following defeats to Paraguay and France.
Scotland would spend 16 years waiting for their return to the biggest tournament of them all. That’s where we take up our story of make-or-break group games with everything on the line …
Steve Clarke’s men cannot exactly take inspiration from their predecessors as they look to inflict defeat on Hungary. Nor should they be overly affected by the failings of previous generations; nothing that happened in Argentina 46 years ago is likely to have much bearing on the current Scotland team’s ability to get a win in Stuttgart.
![Everyone remembers the opening loss to Costa Rica. And the wild celebrations that followed as Andy Roxburgh’s under-fire team beat Sweden 2-1. Which meant it all came down to this. All or nothing. Against the mighty Brazil. With ten minutes to go, it was goalless. We were right in it. Then Jim Leighton failed to hold a shot from distance – and striker Muller was in the right place to bury the rebound (pictured). Home again. Properly scunnered, too.](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/21/13/13/Muller-goal-1990.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
5. 1990 World Cup, Italy: Scotland 0, Brazil 1 – Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin.
Everyone remembers the opening loss to Costa Rica. And the wild celebrations that followed as Andy Roxburgh’s under-fire team beat Sweden 2-1. Which meant it all came down to this. All or nothing. Against the mighty Brazil. With ten minutes to go, it was goalless. We were right in it. Then Jim Leighton failed to hold a shot from distance – and striker Muller was in the right place to bury the rebound (pictured). Home again. Properly scunnered, too. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602
![Oh, the jokes about Scotland only being able to beat a team of insurance salesman. So funny. At a time of global upheaval, with the Commonwealth of Independent States briefly inheriting the sporting status of a disintegrating Soviet Union, Roxburgh’s men made it to a proper finals boasting only eight qualifiers. This was elite stuff, even allowing for Denmark sneaking in via the backdoor when Yugoslavia’s collapse left them without a football team. The Danes ended up winning the whole thing, of course. After defeats to the Netherlands and Germany, even battering CIS with goals from McStay, McClair and McAllister wasn’t enough for a team also boasting some promising forward talent in the shape of a young Kevin Gallagher (pictured).](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/21/12/42/Gallagher-Euro-92-CIS.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
6. 1992 European Championships, Sweden: Scotland 3, CIS 0 – Idrottsparken, Norrkoping.
Oh, the jokes about Scotland only being able to beat a team of insurance salesman. So funny. At a time of global upheaval, with the Commonwealth of Independent States briefly inheriting the sporting status of a disintegrating Soviet Union, Roxburgh’s men made it to a proper finals boasting only eight qualifiers. This was elite stuff, even allowing for Denmark sneaking in via the backdoor when Yugoslavia’s collapse left them without a football team. The Danes ended up winning the whole thing, of course. After defeats to the Netherlands and Germany, even battering CIS with goals from McStay, McClair and McAllister wasn’t enough for a team also boasting some promising forward talent in the shape of a young Kevin Gallagher (pictured). | SNS Group
![For the second successive tournament, even a win in our final group game wasn’t enough. In a 16-team Euros, Scotland drew their opening match against the Netherlands. Then lost to England at Wembley. Nobody mention Uri Geller and a ball that may or may not have moved off the penalty spot. Then came our date with destiny against the Swiss. A magnificent goal from Ally McCoist (pictured). But an inability to overtake the Dutch on goal difference. Heartbreaking.](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/21/12/42/McCoist-winner-Euro-96.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
7. 1996 European Championships, England: Scotland 1 Switzerland 0 – Villa Park, Birmingham.
For the second successive tournament, even a win in our final group game wasn’t enough. In a 16-team Euros, Scotland drew their opening match against the Netherlands. Then lost to England at Wembley. Nobody mention Uri Geller and a ball that may or may not have moved off the penalty spot. Then came our date with destiny against the Swiss. A magnificent goal from Ally McCoist (pictured). But an inability to overtake the Dutch on goal difference. Heartbreaking. | SNS Group
![Craig Brown’s boys were so good in the opening fixture of the whole tournament, narrowly losing out to holders Brazil. Then came a 1-1 draw with Norway. Meaning a win over Morocco would (probably) get the job done, right? Well, no. Not only because Scotland played so poorly in a 3-0 loss that left Colin Hendry and Jim Leighton (pictured) broken. But because Moroccan celebrations were cut short by news of Norway’s surprise win over Brazil. What an agonising way for the north Africans to get knocked out. Almost typically Scottish, in a way …](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/jpim-static/2024/06/21/12/56/Hendry-and-Leighton-98.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
8. 1998 World Cup, France: Scotland 0, Morocco 3 – Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, St Etienne.
Craig Brown’s boys were so good in the opening fixture of the whole tournament, narrowly losing out to holders Brazil. Then came a 1-1 draw with Norway. Meaning a win over Morocco would (probably) get the job done, right? Well, no. Not only because Scotland played so poorly in a 3-0 loss that left Colin Hendry and Jim Leighton (pictured) broken. But because Moroccan celebrations were cut short by news of Norway’s surprise win over Brazil. What an agonising way for the north Africans to get knocked out. Almost typically Scottish, in a way … | SNS Group