There was no open-top bus at Hampden and no Andy Cameron clutching a microphone to lead the chorus of an expectant nation.
Scotland did not depart with bold promises of returning with the Jules Rimet Trophy tucked into the hand luggage this time around.
The nation learned the hard way how not to conduct a World Cup send-off, and those emotional scars from 1978 still cut deep.
Huge swathes of the current Tartan Army might not have even been born that year, yet the painful memories remain firmly lodged in the national psyche.
Agonising images of Peru whipping balls into the top corner and Iran causing problems were carved into Scottish football consciousness during that ill-fated Argentina campaign.
Steve Clarke might well be the anti-Ally McLeod, and that measured approach could be precisely what this squad needs heading into a World Cup.
Back in 1978, McLeod famously predicted: “You can mark down June 25, 1978 as the day Scottish football conquers the world.”
He also quipped, when asked what he would do in the break before the tournament: “I’m putting in a new corner unit to hold the World Cup.”
The only thing Clarke has built is a team the nation can believe in, and there will never be any grand predictions coming from his corner.
Hyperbole simply is not in the manager’s makeup, as he consistently prefers to manage expectations rather than inflate them before a ball is kicked.
Clarke is a master at motivating his group and has helped deliver some incredible moments over his years in charge of the national side.
The first half against Curacao was a slow-burning affair, but a moment of madness from the visitors helped unlock a superb second 45 minutes.
The party took a while to warm up but was in full flow by the end, as Dick Advocaat’s man-down side were firmly put to bed.
Frontman Tahith Chong sported a Carlos Valderrama style haircut and, as it turned out, played a bit like the Colombia World Cup legend too.
His shock opener was a belter, even if the defending that allowed it was described as alarming by those watching on inside Hampden.
Curacao boasts a population the size of Dundee, yet their starting line-up was half decent and their players were physically imposing throughout.
Once their substitutes arrived, however, the talent level dropped significantly and the visitors became something of a rabble in the closing stages.
Big Jurgen Locadia needed a chill pill, charging around like a bull in a china shop before earning a red card for a forearm smash in a bounce game on the eve of a World Cup.
Mercifully Scotland were miles better against the ten men, and lethal Lawrence Shankland helped turn a few half-time frowns upside down with his contributions.
The second half was an enjoyable stroll, and while there was no euphoric open-top bus, Clarke’s bandwagon got waved off with a warm, fuzzy feeling of cautious optimism.
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