GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JUNE 22: John McGinn of Scotland speaks during a TV Interview following the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group D match between Croatia and Scotland at Hampden Park on June 22, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Jan Kruger - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Scotland manager Steve Clarke abruptly ended a pitchside BBC interview following a damaging 3-0 World Cup group stage defeat to Brazil in Miami.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil side dominated proceedings from start to finish, running out comfortable winners and inflicting serious damage on Scotland’s goal difference.
The heavy loss leaves Scotland’s hopes of advancing to the round of 32 hanging by a thread after a deflating conclusion to the group stage.
Despite the poor result, Scotland remain in theoretical contention as one of the best third-place nations from the group stage, with three points to their name.
Scotland currently sit sixth in the third-place standings with a minus three goal difference, a position that could still be enough to make history.
Opta calculated before the tournament that three points and a minus three goal difference carried a 42% chance of progression to the knockout rounds.
However, several rival nations still have group games to play, meaning Scotland could yet drop out of the top eight and be eliminated entirely.
BBC host Eilidh Barbour opened the pitchside interview by asking Clarke for his immediate reaction to the 90 minutes, given how raw the result was.
Clarke kept his answer brief and blunt, responding: “We made it difficult for ourselves. That’s it.”
When Barbour suggested Brazil had not been made to work particularly hard for their goals, a visibly irritated Clarke replied: “We gave them the goals. We gave them the game they wanted. Disappointing.”
The interview took a sharp turn when Barbour asked how Clarke was approaching the nervous wait to find out whether Scotland would advance to the next stage.
Clarke waved his hand and shut the conversation down entirely, saying: “I don’t even think about that. Sorry, I don’t even think about that.”
The gesture made clear the Scotland boss had no desire to discuss knockout scenarios while the sting of the defeat was still so fresh.
Scotland must now wait anxiously as the remaining group games play out to determine whether their three points prove sufficient to extend their historic World Cup campaign.
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