Steve Clarke announced his resignation just hours after Scotland's World Cup hopes evaporated. The team finished third in Group C with a solitary win over Haiti, a 1‑0 loss to Morocco and a 3‑0 defeat by Brazil. Clarke, who guided Scotland to their first finals in 28 years, thanked the squad in an open letter to supporters.

Croatia's 2‑1 victory over Ghana sealed Scotland's fate, ending any mathematical chance of qualifying as one of the eight best third‑placed teams. Scotland entered the tournament with a 70.7% chance of progressing, but successive losses and unfavorable results elsewhere drove that probability below 1% by the final group match. The narrow window for advancement vanished after the Ghana‑Croatia result.

In hindsight, analysts pointed to a lack of elite athleticism and costly errors against Morocco and Brazil. Despite individual moments – John McGinn's goal, Andy Robertson's leadership – the squad could not bridge the gap to top‑ten opponents. Clarke's departure marks the end of a seven‑year era and forces the Scottish FA to reassess its approach ahead of Euro 2028.