Steve Clarke has stepped down as Scotland manager following his side's elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026, bringing an end to a tenure that stretched back to 2019.
Scotland arrived at the tournament with hope, claiming a 1-0 victory over Haiti in their opening match — their first World Cup win in 36 years. However, that early optimism quickly faded. A 1-0 defeat to Morocco and a heavy 3-0 loss to Brazil, in which defensive errors gifted the South Americans multiple goals, left Clarke's side with just three points and a -3 goal difference at the bottom of Group L.
Ghana seal Scotland's fate
With Scotland unable to advance from the group stage as one of the tournament's best third-placed sides, their fate rested on results elsewhere in the final round of group games.
England wrapped up top spot in Group L with a 2-0 win over Panama. The decisive blow for Scotland came in Group K, where Ghana fell 2-1 to Croatia but still finished third with four points — enough to deny Scotland any chance of progression. Scotland's exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026 was confirmed.
Clarke bids farewell
The Scottish Football Association released Clarke's resignation statement shortly after Ghana's match concluded. In it, Clarke directed his warmest words toward his players.
