Steve Clarke admits taking Scotland to their first men’s World Cup since 1998 with a thrilling 4-2 win over Denmark is the “best feeling” of his career.
Scott McTominay opened the scoring in the third minute of the final Group C qualifier at a packed Hampden Park with a glorious overhead kick, but Rasmus Hojlund equalised with a second-half penalty before team-mate Rasmus Kristensen was sent off in the 61st minute.
Substitute Lawrence Shankland restored Scotland’s lead in the 78th minute following a corner only for Patrick Dorgu to level three minutes later.
However, in six chaotic minutes of added time, Kieran Tierney curled in a wonder strike from 25 yards while fellow substitute Kenny McLean scored an outrageous goal from the halfway line to leave Scotland top of the section and straight into next summer’s World Cup finals in North America – ending a 28-year-wait on the global stage.
Clarke, 62, who has guided Scotland to two European Championships since becoming boss in 2019, said: “Yeah, tonight, it feels pretty special.
“This is the best feeling. I’ve waited a long time.
“I’ve spoken to you before about how much I want to go to a World Cup with my country.
“I had a chance as player, but it passed me by for various reasons.
“We had the chance against Ukraine (in 2022 play-off semi-final), that passed us by, and suddenly, you start to think it might be the last one, maybe the last chance.
“But it’s not, we’re there so yeah, fantastic moment. I feel great.
“I’m going enjoy myself tonight and tomorrow night and the night after that.
One more time couldn’t hurt…#SCODEN pic.twitter.com/kRQyN0Fzi6
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 18, 2025
“It’s great because I’ve now got three months where I can just enjoy myself (before warm-up friendlies).
“The lads have got to have a few beers tonight and then head back to their clubs, but I’ve got a little bit of time, so it’s going to be good and it’s going to be a good Christmas in the Clarke household. I promise you.”
Clarke believes the Tartan Army stuck with the team right until the end because “they could smell magic” which came with strikes from Tierney and McLean, sending Hampden Park into raptures.
The former Kilmarnock boss said: “The crowd were fantastic. I asked them before the game, but they don’t always listen to me.
“But this time they listened and they were great.
“Obviously, we gave them a great start with Scott McTominay’s goal, that got them excited, got them engaged in the game.
“But even when the penalty went in immediately, the crowd were behind us again.
“When it goes 2-1, they are the right behind us. When it goes 2-2, I heard them again and that was really important, right in the last part of the game the crowd was still with us.
“Everybody was in the stadium, nobody left because they could smell magic.”
