Former captain Craig Burley said Scotland advancing to the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be a “reward for mediocrity” after conceding four goals and scoring none in the last two group games.
Following their 3-0 defeat to Brazil in Miami on Wednesday, Scotland are eagerly awaiting to see whether the three points they earned by beating Haiti in the tournament opener will be enough to keep them in North America.
Scotland are eighth in the rankings of the third-placed teams in the twelve World Cup groups, with the top eight advancing to the round of 16.
«I have no problem with Scotland going out… because I’m sorry… but we’re just rewarding complete mediocrity here, and they don’t really deserve to go through if we’re being honest,» Burley said. ESPN.
«I don’t think they will unless they get lucky, and if they do go through with it I think it will just perpetuate the embarrassment of looking like Scotland. It’s a bit second-rate, isn’t it? They just don’t have the players. If they go through, fine, but this shouldn’t be celebrated as the first ever Scottish team to qualify for the group stages because it’s just really standard,» he added.
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Burley, who played 46 internationals between 1995 and 2003, complained about the quality of players available to coach Steve Clarke and compared it unfavorably to the era of fellow pundit Steve Nicol.
Former Liverpool full-back Nicol, who played for Scotland alongside Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness in the 1980s, agreed.
“Just the quality that this group of players has, whether it’s Scotland or anyone else, shouldn’t be ahead of the World Cup,” he said.
«A World Cup is supposed to be for the elite. It is the medal that every player wants to win more than any other player, no matter what country you play in. And it is devalued when certain teams go through that simply don’t deserve to be there,» he added.
Published on June 26, 2026
