World Cup Qualifying, Group C: Denmark v Scotland
Venue: Parken Stadium, Copenhagen
Date: Friday, 5 September | Kick-off: 19:45 BST
When Steve Clarke took charge of Scotland in May 2019, his mandate was clear: end the country’s two-decade exile from major tournaments. Within two years, he delivered on that promise, steering the national side to Euro 2020 and then repeating the feat for Euro 2024.
Now, as speculation grows that this World Cup cycle could be his last in the dugout, one objective remains: a return to the global stage for the first time since 1998.
Scotland’s qualifying campaign begins in Copenhagen against Denmark, followed by Belarus in Glasgow. For Clarke, this could mark the opening steps of his final dance as head coach.
Clarke’s reign began nervously. His first game in charge saw Scotland scrape past Cyprus 2-1 at Hampden, courtesy of an 89th-minute Oliver Burke strike in front of just 30,000 fans.
The squad that day, valued at around £70m according to Transfermarkt, still featured names familiar now – Andy Robertson, John McGinn, and a young Scott McTominay, then only on the bench.
Fast forward to March 2025: Scotland’s starting XI against Greece was estimated at £130m, with a further £60m on the bench. Beyond numbers, the difference reflects the growth in both quality and depth of the national pool under Clarke.
As Clarke put it this week:
“The squad has always evolved. If I look at my very first squad, I’ve still got six, seven, maybe eight players involved. But we’ve introduced younger players too, trying to build depth. Is this the best squad we’ve had? We’ll only find out when the games begin.”
One of Clarke’s legacies has been overseeing the emergence of Scottish players in Europe’s top leagues, particularly Italy.
Scott McTominay, now a Serie A champion and Ballon d’Or nominee with Napoli, embodies that rise. Billy Gilmour is also a title-winner in Italy, Lewis Ferguson captained Bologna to Coppa Italia glory, and teenager Lennon Miller has swapped Motherwell for Udinese. Even Che Adams has revitalised his career with Torino.
This “Italian pipeline” was, in Clarke’s words, sparked by Aaron Hickey’s success at Bologna, opening the door for others to thrive. The result? A generation of Scots plying their trade at the highest level and bringing that experience back to the international fold.
Despite the growth in talent, two long-standing problems remain:
Hopes are now pinned on 22-year-old Kieron Bowie of Hibernian, who impressed on debut against Liechtenstein and continues to enhance his reputation domestically and in Europe. Clarke acknowledges his rawness but sees promise:
“He’s a rough diamond, but he’s hit the ground running. For a young player, that can only be good for Scotland.”
In March, Clarke admitted he was “75% sure” this World Cup campaign would be his last. For a manager known for his measured words, such comments carry weight.
He has already achieved what many thought impossible: returning Scotland to major tournaments. Yet, at those Euros, the performances often fell flat. The Tartan Army now crave more than just participation; they want the fire that toppled Spain at Hampden, the resilience that stunned Norway in Oslo, and the spirit that dismantled Croatia in Glasgow.
The ultimate prize remains qualification for the World Cup – the stage Scotland have been absent from since France ’98. For Clarke, achieving that would be a crowning legacy.
Whether this is the first step of his farewell tour remains to be seen. But if it is, it begins under the lights in Copenhagen.
