After drawing with Morocco in the opening match and beating Haiti 3-0 in this Friday’s game (19), Brazil is already starting to look at its next opponent in the 2026 World Cup: Scotland.
The teams face each other this Wednesday (24), at 7pm (Brasília time), in Miami, in a duel that revives the clash that opened the 1998 World Cup in France, won by the Brazilians 2-1.
That was also the last Scottish participation in a World Cup. Now Scotland are back in football’s premier competition after a 28-year absence.
Under the command of coach Steve Clarke, the team qualified for the World Cup with a consistent campaign, after leading their group in the UEFA Qualifiers, ahead of Denmark, Greece and Belarus.
Their debut at the World Cup came with a 1-0 victory over Haiti, followed by a defeat against Morocco in the second round, results that place them in third place in group C. Brazil is in the lead.
Check out what you need to know about Scotland, the Brazilian team’s last opponent in the group stage.
What to expect in Scotland
Scotland’s main objective has remained, for decades, to reach the knockout stage of a major international tournament for the first time.
The team participated in 12 competitions at this level until the beginning of the summer, with a victory rate of just 17% in 35 matches. The last triumph in a major competition came 30 years ago, in the European Championship.
However, the format of this World Cup — which includes an extra knockout phase involving 32 teams —, added to the victory in the debut against Haiti, makes this, perhaps, the best opportunity to break this negative record.
On the field, the expectation is of a solid, aggressive and very organized team, with a strong collective spirit and a squad that demonstrates great unity and internal identification.
Coach Steve Clarke’s contract renewal, signed in May, further reinforced the stability of the project on the eve of the World Cup.
What are Scotland’s strengths?
Much of what Scotland can do in this World Cup involves midfield.
Aston Villa player John McGinn is coming off his best season in terms of direct goal contributions for the club, while Scott McTominay maintained the good form that saw him named Serie A’s best player in 2024-25.
Up front, Lawrence Shankland arrives in good shape and could be the team’s solution to improving its offensive production in high-level games.
And the weak points?
The team does not have many options in the squad and cannot afford to lose key players.
First-choice right-back Aaron Hickey has played just 92 minutes at club level since February, raising questions about his fitness. In goal, 43-year-old veteran Craig Gordon could be the starter.
Other options for goal, Rangers’ Liam Kelly and Nottingham Forest’s Angus Gunn, have not been starters for their clubs this season.
Steve Clarke has not used a line of five defenders in a competitive match since Euro 2024, but he could return to that formation against stronger opposition, with Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney playing at centre-back.
Which players should we keep an eye on?
- John McGinn: He was one of Aston Villa’s highlights in winning the club’s first European title in 44 years. During the season, he scored 10 goals and 7 assists, the highest number of goal appearances of his career.
- Scott McTominay: Scott McTominay’s bicycle goal in the decisive qualifying match against Denmark became so famous that it was featured on a special edition Scottish bank note. The 2024-25 Serie A best player has been directly involved in 15 goals for Scotland since the start of 2023 – six more than any other player.
- Lawrence Shankland: He has scored 21 more goals than any other player in the league since 2022-23. Despite not always being a starter for the national team, he maintains an impressive average of a goal every 86 minutes in a Scotland shirt.
Who is the coach of the Scottish national team?
Winning three major tournaments as head coach is a Scottish record, and Steve Clarke achieved the feat in just seven years.
He is the first manager to lead Scotland to two consecutive European Championships and the first to guide the country to a World Cup since Craig Brown in 1998.
How did Scotland qualify?
The classification was achieved on one of the most memorable nights in the team’s recent history.
On November 18, at Hampden Park, Scotland needed to beat Denmark — then 18 places higher in the FIFA rankings — to guarantee a direct place in the World Cup. A loss would send the team to the playoffs.
The team responded in style and won 4-2, in a game that was marked by three goals: a bicycle kick from Scott McTominay after just three minutes, a long-range shot from Kieran Tierney in the final minutes and a midfield goal from Kenny McLean in the 98th minute, sealing qualification.
The result confirmed Scotland’s presence in the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
An interesting fact about the Scottish national team
At 43, Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon could become the second oldest player to appear at the World Cup, after Essam El Hadary, who played for Egypt against Saudi Arabia at the age of 45 in 2018.
This text was originally published here.
