Scotland are returning to the World Cup for what will be only their ninth appearance in 23 editions of the tournament. The 28-year wait is almost over. Scotland's clash with Haiti is on the horizon, and the Tartan Army are praying for a win to kick off the tournament and give Steve Clarke's men a real shot at escaping the group stage for the very first time. But if you are wondering how the national side has fared in opening games at previous tournaments, you've come to the right place.
This year is only the ninth time in 23 editions of the tournament that Scotland will have played in the finals. Scotland did qualify for the 1950 World Cup but, incredibly, the SFA stuck to its guns that they would only accept an invite from FIFA if Scotland topped the Home Internationals Group – and they finished second. Four years later, the same situation arose with the Scots finishing second. But on that occasion, the SFA did allow the team to compete and play at their first-ever World Cup. With Scotland's latest World Cup finals appearance a matter of days away, here is how they have kicked off their previous finals appearances.
1954 World Cup – Scotland 0-1 Austria
A goal after 32 minutes from Erich Probst was all that separated the sides in the group opener at the maiden outing in Switzerland. A Scotland side featuring the likes of Tommy Docherty was edged out in Zurich. It may have been a narrow defeat, but it was enough for boss Andy Beattie to resign in the aftermath, leading to the heaviest-ever defeat at a finals in the next game, a 7-0 thrashing by Uruguay.
1958 World Cup – Scotland 1-1 Yugoslavia
Jimmy Murray was on target early in the second half to land Scotland's first point at the finals, cancelling out an early opener from Aleksander Petakovic. Held in Sweden, the tournament saw Dawson Walker's side fail to qualify after losing their next two games against Paraguay and France.
1974 World Cup – Scotland 2-0 Zaire
It was a long 16 years before Scotland qualified again – and it would deliver their best-ever showing at a finals, albeit resulting in glorious failure. The opening game saw first-half goals from Peter Lorimer and Joe Jordan deliver a maiden win at the tournament, held in West Germany. Despite going the group stages unbeaten, the Scots crashed out on goal difference despite drawing with Brazil and Yugoslavia.
1978 World Cup – Scotland 1-3 Peru
Who could forget Ally MacLeod's infamous tenure as he declared we would win the World Cup? Heading in full of optimism, a humbling awaited in the opener in Argentina as Peru prevailed comfortably. Joe Jordan's 14th-minute strike had got us off to a flier, but Cesar Cueto struck just before half-time, and a stunning double from Teofilo Cubillas in the space of five minutes late on dealt a hammer blow to a side featuring Kenny Dalglish and Archie Gemmill. Of course, Gemmill would go on to score one of the greatest-ever Scotland goals against the Netherlands in the final group game. Needing to win by three clear goals, a 3-2 win over the Dutch wasn't enough to progress after a costly 1-1 draw with Iran.
1982 World Cup – Scotland 5-1 New Zealand
Jock Stein led Scotland to their biggest World Cup win with a five-goal show in Malaga, Spain, against New Zealand. A star-studded Scotland team including Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Alan Hansen, Danny McGrain, and Gordon Strachan got off to a dream start with Dalglish and a John Wark double in the first half, followed by strikes from John Robertson and Steve Archibald. However, the Scots were eliminated on goal difference after a 4-1 defeat to the mighty Brazil, inspired by Zico and Socrates, and a 2-2 draw with the Soviet Union.
1986 World Cup – Scotland 1-2 West Germany
Sir Alex Ferguson took the team to Mexico after the tragic circumstances of Jock Stein's death just a few months earlier, and they suffered a narrow opening defeat against eventual finalists West Germany, featuring Lothar Matthaus and Rudi Voller. Gordon Strachan stunned Franz Beckenbauer's men with a 17th-minute opener, where the diminutive winger did his famous celebration of pretending to climb the advertising boards. But Voller quickly levelled, and Klaus Allofs's 49th-minute effort proved decisive. A 1-0 defeat to Denmark and a 0-0 draw with Uruguay saw Scotland eliminated.
1990 World Cup – Scotland 0-1 Costa Rica
With Andy Roxburgh now at the helm for Italia '90, a disastrous defeat to Costa Rica did the early damage. Juan Cayasso struck after 50 minutes in Genoa to leave the Scots – featuring the likes of Ally McCoist, Paul McStay, Alex McLeish, and Roy Aitken – with a mountain to climb. Although they beat Sweden 2-1 in the next game, a Jim Leighton howler in the final moments against Brazil saw them lose 1-0 and crash out at the group stage yet again.
1998 World Cup – Scotland 1-2 Brazil
Having missed USA '94, Scotland returned to the grand stage for the daddy of all openers as they took on reigning champions Brazil at the Stade de France in Paris. The squad famously turned up in kilts before the game, but they were caught with their trousers down after just five minutes when Cesar Sampaio snuck in at the front post to head home a very un-Brazilian goal from a corner, leaving the Tartan Army fearing the worst. However, Sampaio shoved Kevin Gallagher in the penalty box off the ball, and John Collins netted from the spot just before half-time to pull Scotland level. With the clock ticking down towards an incredible draw and Scotland doing well to keep the likes of Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Bebeto at bay, the unfortunate Tom Boyd turned the ball into his own net to hand the Samba stars victory. A 1-1 draw with Norway and a 3-0 defeat to Morocco, where Craig Burley saw red for Scotland, ensured Craig Brown's side headed home early.
2026 World Cup – Scotland vs Haiti (TBC)
In Scotland's first finals appearance of this century, the stage is now set for Steve Clarke and his troops to go and make history.
