Steve Clarke resigns as Scotland head coach after elimination from World Cup 2026

Steve Clarke has resigned as Scotland’s head coach, with the decision announced within an hour of confirmation the country had been eliminated from the World Cup . Clarke, who had been in post since 2019, signed a four-year contract extension shortly before the tournament. The manner of Scotland’s exit has led to a sharp rethink from the 62-year-old. History will treat Clarke very favourably as a Scotland manager. After an absence from major tournaments stretching back to 1998, the team reached the 2021 and 2024 European Championships under him. This World Cup was a first for Scotland in 28 years. However, they could not reach their stated aim of breaking new ground and competing in the knockout phase of a tournament after finishing on three points in Group C. Clarke cut a despondent figure as his team completed the group stage with a 3-0 loss to Brazil . A narrow victory over Haiti was followed by a 1-0 defeat by Morocco . Clarke had drawn criticism for a supposedly overly cautious approach. His curt approach to broadcast interviews at the World Cup also received negative coverage. In a lengthy open letter to supporters, Clarke did not directly address the reasons for World Cup shortcomings. Instead, he lavished praise on those who worked alongside him. “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. …