'Not enough' - Robertson and Clarke admit Scotland 'going home'

Scotland v Brazil: Group C - FIFA World Cup 2026

Steve Clarke has conceded that Scotland are "probably going home" following a demoralising 3-0 defeat to Brazil in their final World Cup group stage match. The Tartan Army were outclassed by Carlo Ancelotti’s side in Miami, leaving their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in their history hanging by the thinnest of threads.

Clarke concedes World Cup dream is over

Clarke was pull-no-punches in his assessment of Scotland's chances following the comprehensive defeat in Group C. Errors at the back were clinicaly punished by the Selecao, with Vinicius Junior bagging a double and Matheus Cunha also finding the net to secure top spot for the South American giants. The result leaves Scotland in third place with three points and a damaging goal difference.

Speaking after the match, a dejected Clarke stated: "You give a team like Brazil the chances that we gave them in the game, you expect to get punished. And that's what happened. I think we're probably going home. We know they're deadly in the attacking third of the pitch and we gave them for sure the first two goals, probably the third goal as well. So we gave them the goals, but on the counter of that, they also missed a few chances, and Angus [Gunn] had to make a few good saves. We created one or two chances, but nothing really clean."

Scotland v Morocco: Group C - FIFA World Cup 2026

Robertson's grim prognosis

Captain Andy Robertson was equally pessimistic about Scotland's prospects of being one of the best third-placed teams. Despite a 1-0 win over Haiti earlier in the group, the heavy nature of the defeat to Brazil has severely damaged their goal difference, leaving them in a state of football purgatory at this World Cup according to those close to the camp.

“I don’t think it’s enough,” the captain asserted. “I don’t think we’ve done enough. Time will tell. Maybe we’re proved wrong. Maybe another shot at it. The next couple of days will be horrible, and long. This is the situation we’ve put ourselves in. We have to deal with it.”

Technical gap exposed against elite opposition

The defeat highlighted the significant gulf in quality between the two nations. While Scotland battled hard, they lacked the creative spark to break down a resolute Brazilian defence. John McGinn remains the only Scotsman to find the net in the tournament so far, following his goal against Haiti, as the team struggled to offer much of an attacking threat against Morocco or Brazil.

Clarke admitted that he was disappointed for his players but noted the lessons that must be learned: "I'm disappointed for them because they didn't reach the levels that they can reach. I think we all know that. Anybody that's watched this team over the last few years knows that we didn't reach the levels that we can reach. I think when you see the physicality, the power and the technique of both Morocco and Brazil, you can see that we have to do something about it. We have to try and be better at producing young players that can grace the world stage."

Scotland v Brazil: Group C - FIFA World Cup 2026

A long wait in US limbo

With their fate out of their hands, the Tartan Army must now wait for other group results to conclude. Statistically, their odds of progression fell sharply following results elsewhere, leaving the travelling fans wondering if their American adventure is at a premature end.

When asked if he had a message for the fans in the US, Clarke said: "I'm not sure that's in my remit as a head coach. The fans are fantastic, they've been absolutely brilliant. And don't forget that this group of players brought these fans to America, this group of players qualified. That's why the Scottish journalists are here. Otherwise, we'd always be sitting on the sofa, watching the World Cup without Scotland. So, the fans appreciate what this group of players have done for them. They've had a great time, they are great ambassadors for the country, but they wouldn't be here without that group of players, and I think, for me, that's a very important point."