Scotland manager Steve Clarke has set his sights firmly on history as his side prepares to face Brazil in Miami at the 2026 World Cup.
The match carries enormous weight for a nation that has endured decades of near misses, heartbreaks, and long absences from football’s greatest stage.
Clarke wants nothing less than a victory that will be remembered long after the final whistle, not merely a fleeting moment of defiance that ends in defeat.
The famous three-word taunt, “making them angry,” has haunted Scottish football since Dave Narey’s stunning thunderbolt against Brazil in Seville at the 1982 World Cup.
That right-footed strike from Narey remains lodged in Scottish folklore, even as Brazil responded by romping to a 4-1 win and Jimmy Hill coined the phrase that has lingered ever since.
Clarke was direct when reminded of that infamous line, saying “I wouldn’t mind taking the lead, I’ve got to be honest.”
He was equally clear about what kind of iconic moment Scotland truly needs, adding: “If we take the lead in the game, I will be happy. But what we don’t want is an iconic moment only then to suffer a defeat like that one.”
Clarke pointed to Scotland’s qualification campaign as the benchmark, saying: “You want the iconic moment like the iconic moments we had at Hampden against Denmark to qualify for the World Cup. They’re the real iconic moments.”
The manager’s more cautious approach during Friday’s goalless showing against Morocco in Foxborough drew criticism and revived unwelcome memories of previous tournament disappointments.
Scotland failed to register a single shot on target against Morocco, a fact Clarke openly acknowledged as a significant source of frustration heading into the Brazil clash.
“Yes and it was the same for the players as well. We didn’t create that clean chance. If we can create one or two clean chances we will score the goals,” Clarke said.
He remained measured but optimistic about his side’s attacking potential, insisting the margins between a blank and a goal are remarkably small in tournament football.
“It’s not like you’re going to have to create chance after chance after chance after chance. You’re going to create two or three really golden chances and you take one of them,” he said.
Clarke has already decided that Ben Gannon-Doak will be unleashed, with further attacking selections still being considered ahead of kick-off in the Florida sunshine.
On the sidelines, Clarke will go head-to-head with Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti, widely regarded as one of the greatest managers the game has ever produced.
Despite the enormity of that tactical duel, Clarke was characteristically grounded, saying: “The idea of going up against him doesn’t excite me – that’s the honest answer.”
What does fire Clarke up is far simpler and more personal, as he explained: “What gets me excited is the chance to put our players on the pitch, on this stage, and say, ‘C’mon guys, let’s do it for the country!'”
Clarke acknowledged Brazil’s quality throughout their squad, noting they have players capable of beating defenders in one-on-one situations and a tactical flexibility that creates defensive headaches.
Yet his belief in Scotland’s ability to compete remains genuine and unshaken, resting on the team reaching the very best version of themselves on the night.
“We’ve all been talking about living the dream. And now we are all here, actually living that dream,” Clarke said, capturing the mood of an entire nation watching from home.
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