New Delhi, 28 June (H.S.): Steve Clarke has resigned as head coach of the Scotland men's national football team, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) announced on Saturday.

In a statement, the SFA said Clarke decided to step down following Scotland's elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026, bringing an end to his seven-year tenure as the country's most successful national team coach.

During his time in charge, Clarke guided Scotland to their first FIFA Men's World Cup qualification in 28 years and also led the team to qualification for two consecutive UEFA European Championships.

Scotland began their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Haiti. However, defeats against Morocco and Brazil left the team third in their group, resulting in their elimination from the tournament.

Reflecting on his tenure, Clarke said he was immensely proud of what the team had achieved over the past seven years.

The most emotional part of this farewell is saying goodbye to my players. Without them, none of the memories we have created since 2019 would have been possible. They deserve every bit of the praise and recognition they have received, and it has truly been an honour to be their coach, he said.

Clarke also thanked the Scottish Football Association for giving him the opportunity to lead the national team and wished his successor every success.

Scottish Football Association Chief Executive Ian Maxwell acknowledged the disappointment of Scotland's group-stage exit but praised Clarke's lasting contribution to Scottish football.

We are all disappointed by our elimination from the World Cup at the group stage, but we must not overlook the remarkable progress made during Steve's seven years in charge. He successfully restored Scotland to the world's biggest football tournament, and we are grateful for his record-breaking contribution to the national team, Maxwell said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar