“We have another very, very good thing we can accomplish together.”
Steve Clarke is as low-key as ever, refusing to get caught up in the excitement and hype that Scotland are on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
The mission against Denmark on Tuesday night is simple. A win will guarantee a spot in next summer’s tournament. If not, there will be a playoff in March and we’ll be back.
Clark, whose contract expires at the end of this season, has already led his national team to back-to-back European Championships and will be hoping to do even better this time around.
“I want to go to the World Cup with my country,” said Billy Gilmour, who was unable to recover from an injury and admitted that he would miss the match.
“If you look at what we’ve achieved over the last six-and-a-half years, I think a lot of these players are already, in your words, ‘legends,'” he said.
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Scotland captain Andy Robertson says the winner-take-all World Cup qualifier against Denmark is “exciting and something to look forward to”.
“But they are already very high in the rankings of what we have done as a country.
“When I started this job six-and-a-half years ago, a lot of people were saying, ‘Don’t touch it, it’s a poisoned chalice, you can’t do that.’
“Looking at the group of players, I thought there was some quality there. I’m looking forward to working with this group of players, because I think we can achieve good things.”
“We were able to do that. Now we have another really great thing that we can accomplish together.”
Scotland’s unbeaten run in Group C ended with a 3-2 loss to Greece on Saturday, but Denmark’s 2-2 draw with Belarus will set up a winner-take-all clash at Hampden Park.
Scotland played out a goalless draw with Denmark in their first qualifying match in Copenhagen.
“I don’t expect them to get depressed because they still have a chance to go through as group winners,” added the Danish, who drew in Copenhagen in September.
“They will come here determined to make amends for last night’s failure.
“It will be another difficult night for the Danes, but we are determined to make it a great night for us.
Clark: “I believe they’re good enough.”
Craig Gordon was 15 the last time Scotland qualified for the World Cup.
More than half of Clarke’s squad were not born the last time Scotland qualified for the World Cup, but goalkeeper Craig Gordon, 42, will be the only player who remembers watching the 1998 game against France.
“If they weren’t nervous and excited about the challenge ahead, they wouldn’t be at this level,” the former Kilmarnock manager added.
“They understand the magnitude of the game and what it means. They just have to prepare for the football game and make sure they’re focused on how we want to play.”
20-year-old Ben Gannon-Doak scores his first goal for Scotland against Greece
“If they go out there and play as well as they can, I believe that will be enough to get us the result we need.
“In a match, if you need to win, there will come a time when you need to be a little more adventurous and chase the match, and then you have to be careful not to lose.
“If you’re aiming for a draw, you probably think towards the end of the game that you need to close up shop a little bit, but that’s also dangerous. We know what we have to do and hopefully we can do it.”
“We need a crowd.”
Hampden Park was packed for the game and the head coach encouraged the Tartan Army to support their players throughout the game.
Scotland didn’t exactly have a good atmosphere in their other two home games. During their visit to Greece, they were booed by some fans at halftime, but after being on the back foot for about an hour, they won 3-1.
Some people jeered after the 2-1 victory over Belarus.
Steve Clarke urges Scotland fans to get behind their team in a final push
“We need an audience. We need an audience,” the 62-year-old added.
“Probably you need the audience more in the difficult moments than in the easy moments when you have an advantage in the game.
“If we all work together, I think it will be a great night for this country.”
Danish manager says Scots are ‘not as enthusiastic as we are’
Denmark manager Brian Riemer insists his side will be even more “spirited” than Scotland or the Tartan Army in Tuesday’s do-or-die World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park.
Reimer was also asked to address the team’s illness issues from a preparation standpoint, and how much motivation he expected from the home crowd and Clark’s team heading into the game.
“That’s my first answer because we’re not as fired up as we are,” said the 47-year-old, who admitted Anders Dreyer is out with illness while fellow attacker Rasmus Hjølund is doubtful to start after missing the match against Belarus with illness.
Denmark national team coach Brian Riemer will be appointed as coach from October 2024.
“I would be lying if I said I enjoyed the little conflict over the disease.
“Obviously, any coach is always going to choose to come into camp free of injuries, illnesses, issues, suspensions.
“But I have to say that in the past year as Denmark manager, every time I have attended a match or a camp, there has been something: players looking for clubs, players with illnesses, injuries, suspensions.
“That’s part of your job as a manager and at the end of the day we have a really good team.
“That’s how I feel. We have great players starting the game, we have great players on the bench, and it’s a top group and they’re really inferior to each other.
“So, for me, it’s not a big deal, but of course, at the end of the day, it’s better not to have little bumps like this.”
How do the playoffs work?
Scotland last played in the World Cup in 1998.
The 12 second-place teams in their group and the top four teams that did not finish in first or second place in the European qualifying group stage of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League will participate in the play-offs.
The 16 teams participating in the playoffs will be divided into four playoff paths of four teams each. The play-off matches will be played as a single-leg semi-final, followed by a single-leg final within the same international window from March 26 to 31 next year.
How many European teams will qualify?
A total of 16 UEFA member nations will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The 12 group winners will qualify directly to the World Cup. The remaining four spots will be determined by a play-off between the 12 second-place players in the group.
2026 World Cup European Qualification Schedule
Group stage final match dates: November 13-18, 2025 Playoff match dates: March 26-31, 2026 Final tournament dates: June 11-July 19, 2026
When and where will the 2026 World Cup be held?
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The tournament will be held in 16 cities across three North American countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This is the first time that the World Cup will be held in three countries.
The last time the tournament was held in North America was in 1994, when Brazil defeated Italy in a penalty shootout to win the tournament.
The expanded World Cup will feature 48 teams, 16 more than the 2022 edition in Qatar, and will be held across three host countries for the first time.
2026 World Cup Schedule
Group Stage: June 11th to 27th Round 32: June 28th to July 3rd Round 16: July 4th to 7th Quarterfinals: July 9th to 11th Semifinals: July 14th to 15th Third Place Match (“Bronze Final”): July 18th Final: July 19th
