Steve Clarke has stepped down as Scotland's head coach, the Scottish Football Association confirmed, shortly after his side's elimination from the 2026 World Cup group stage was sealed.
The announcement
"The most emotional part of this goodbye is for my players, without whom we wouldn't have had any of the memories that we've accumulated from 2019 until now," Clarke said in a message to supporters, reported by Sky Sports. "It was truly an honour to be called their gaffer." His departure came despite his having signed a new contract with the Scottish FA ahead of the tournament.
A campaign that fell short
Scotland qualified for the World Cup but went out at the group stage, finishing third in their group and missing the cut among the best third-placed teams in the expanded 48-team format, ESPN reported. Their fate was confirmed as results elsewhere went against them — a narrow exit echoing the fine margins that have long defined Scottish football.
Seven years that changed the story
Clarke took charge in May 2019 with Scotland mired in a major-tournament drought stretching back to the 1998 World Cup. He ended it emphatically: qualifying the team for Euro 2020 (played in 2021), then Euro 2024, and finally the 2026 World Cup — three consecutive major tournaments, a feat no Scotland manager had achieved before.
Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell paid tribute while acknowledging the disappointment, saying Scotland "must not lose sight of the undeniable progress made during Steve's seven years in charge," from a low-seeded side in 2019 to qualifying for a World Cup, according to The Scotsman. Clarke himself said the "reconnection of our national team and our fans" had given him his greatest satisfaction.
The search begins
The Scottish FA must now find a successor ahead of a significant period — Scotland are among the co-hosts of Euro 2028, guaranteeing them a place at that tournament. Several names have been floated in early speculation, though the association has not set out a timeline for the appointment.
