Steve Clarke has resigned as the head coach of the Scotland men's team following their elimination from the 2026 World Cup group stages. The 62-year-old announced his departure in an emotional letter to the Tartan Army supporters shortly after Croatia's 2-1 victory over Ghana on Saturday confirmed Scotland could no longer qualify for the round of 32.
Scotland's exit came despite an opening 1-0 win over Haiti, the nation's first victory at a men's World Cup since 1990. However, subsequent losses to Morocco and a 3-0 defeat to Brazil left the team with a minus-3 goal differential. This tiebreaker saw them fall behind Senegal, who secured the final knockout spot with a +2 goal differential.
During his seven-year reign since 2019, Clarke led Scotland to its first World Cup since 1998 and two European Championship qualifications, the first since 1996. Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell thanked Clarke for his record-breaking contribution and the memories of representing the nation at major tournaments.
The resignation comes despite the fact that Clarke had signed a new four-year contract extension in May intended to take him through to the 2030 World Cup. In his letter, Clarke praised his players and wished his successor good luck, though he did not explain why he chose to step down so soon after signing the new agreement.