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Steve Clarke Resigns After Scotland’s Early World Cup Exit

6/28/2026

Summary

Clarke Resigns

Steve Clarke resigned as Scotland manager after Croatia’s 2-1 win over Ghana eliminated Scotland.
Scotland finished third in Group C, beating Haiti 1-0 but losing to Morocco and Brazil, missing third-place slots.
Clarke had signed a contract through 2030 a month before the tournament, then stepped down 30 days later.
Ian Maxwell praised Clarke’s progress, noting the team topped its qualifying group and thanking supporters travelling to the United States.

Summary

Clarke Steps Down

Clarke resigned, citing a four-year contract that would have extended to the 2030 European Championships.
He called the position a “poisoned chalice” and said he was the “wee boy from Saltcoats”.
Clarke thanked the auxiliary staff, including analysis, medical, sports science, kit, logistics and media teams.
After Graeme Jones left, Mark Leslie succeeded him and continued facility upgrades and structural reforms to support World Cup 2026 preparation.

Summary

Clarke Projects Surge

Clarke said the Tartan Army attended the 2026 World Cup in Germany in larger numbers than ever.
He noted the Belgrade stadium was empty during the Covid-hit tournament.
He said he is the first Scotland coach since Craig Brown (former Scotland coach) in 1998 to reach a major finals.
Clarke warned qualification will draw thousands of fans to future tournaments and help Scotland break the knockout-phase ceiling.

History

Historical Context

Ally MacLeod took charge in 1977, led Scotland to the 1978 World Cup in Argentina with a 22-player squad, then quit after a 3-2 win over the Netherlands failed to secure progression. Steve Clarke, appointed in 2019, oversaw a Euro 2024 campaign that ended with a heavy loss to Germany. Both exits highlight Scotland’s pattern of early tournament elimination and managerial change.

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Clarke Resigns

Steve Clarke resigned as Scotland manager after Croatia’s 2-1 win over Ghana eliminated Scotland.
Scotland finished third in Group C, beating Haiti 1-0 but losing to Morocco and Brazil, missing third-place slots.
Clarke had signed a contract through 2030 a month before the tournament, then stepped down 30 days later.
Ian Maxwell praised Clarke’s progress, noting the team topped its qualifying group and thanking supporters travelling to the United States.

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