Scotland’s wait to return to the World Cup is almost over, with little over 24 hours standing between them and their opening game against Haiti in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The first time the national team will compete in the World Cup since 1998, Steve Clarke is hoping to become the first manager in Scottish football history to lead the team to the knockout stages of a major tournament. Can he do it?
Already confirming his place in the Scotland hall of fame after becoming the first Scotland national team boss to lead the team to three tournaments - Euro 2020, Euro 2024 and this summer’s World Cup - he’ll arguably be viewed as the greatest to ever manage Scotland if he can lead them into the latter stages of the competition.
However, how does his record compare to those who came before him? In total, they’ve been nine managers who have led Scotland into 12 major tournaments.
Here, we rank every Scotland manager who has taken the team to a European Championship or World Cup, ranked on their major tournament record:
1. Andy Roxburgh OBE
With a 33.3% win record, Roxburgh is Scotland's joint most successful tournament manager. The 80-year-old former boss led the national team at both World Cup 1990 and Euro 1992. His tournament record is as follows: P6, W2, D0, L4, GD: -3. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
2. Willie Ormond
He lead Scotland at just one tournament, the World Cup of 1974, but is the only Scottish boss to have never lost a game at a major tournament. He has a 33.3% win record from his three games after he defeated Zaire before drawing with Brazil and Yugoslavia. However, it wasn't enough to get Scotland to the knockout stages as they returned home as the only unbeaten team in the tournament. His tournament record is as follows: P3, W1, D2, L0, GD: +1 | SNS Group Photo: SNS Group
3. Craig Brown
The late, great Craig Brown is one of just two managers that have managed Scotland in two major tournaments alongside Andy Roxburgh (though Steve Clarke will become the third at Euro 2024). He led Scotland at both Euro 1996 and France 1998 but had a win ratio of just 16.6% at major tournaments compared to his impressive 45.07% overall record. His tournament record is as follows: P6, W1, D2, L3, GF: -5. | AFP via Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
4. Jock Stein CBE
Another manager that holds a 33.3% win ratio while managing Scotland at major tournaments is the Celtic icon. He led the team to the World Cup in Spain in 1982, where he won the opening game against Zaire 5-2. However, he failed to win the following two games, losing 4-1 to Brazil and rescuing a late draw against the Soviet Union, which saw Scotland head home. He tragically died while still Scotland boss just three years later after suffering a pulmonary edema following a game against Wales in September 1985 at Cardiff City's Ninian Park. His tournament record is as follows: P3, W1, D1, L1, GD: 0. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602