Scotland manager Steve Clarke has resigned from his position just moments after the country’s World Cup exit was confirmed on Saturday.
The Scottish FA announced his departure in a statement released shortly after Croatia’s win over Ghana sealed Scotland’s fate in the tournament.
BBC Scotland understands that Clarke informed his players of the decision while the squad remained at their base in Charlotte.
The resignation came just one month after Clarke had signed a new four-year contract extension with the national side.
Scotland had entered the competition with hope, defeating Haiti 1-0 in their opening Group C match in Boston before losing 1-0 to Morocco in the same city.
A heavy 3-0 defeat to Brazil in Miami followed, leaving the Scots requiring favourable results elsewhere to advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
That slim hope was extinguished on Saturday, three days after the Brazil loss, when Croatia’s result against Ghana ended Scotland’s tournament.
Clarke said in his departure statement: “The most emotional part of this goodbye is for my players, without whom we wouldn’t have had any of the memories that we’ve accumulated from 2019 until now.”
He added: “They deserve all the praise and adulation that they receive and it was truly an honour to be called their gaffer. Thanks for having me and good luck to my successor.”
Clarke took charge of Scotland seven years ago, inheriting a team that had not appeared at a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup.
He guided the nation to two European Championships before finally securing a place at this summer’s World Cup in the United States.
Despite those historic qualification achievements, Scotland failed to truly perform at any of the three major tournaments, with the win over Haiti their only victory across all three finals.
Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell paid tribute to Clarke’s contribution, saying: “From starting as a pot four team in 2019 to topping our World Cup qualifying group, he has more than delivered on the remit to take Scotland back to a major tournament.”
Maxwell continued: “We thank Steve for his record-breaking contribution and know that when the disappointment of World Cup elimination subsides, the Scotland supporters will be thankful for the memories of marching with pride at major tournaments once again.”
The timing of the announcement surprised many, coming just minutes after the elimination was confirmed and only a month after his new contract had been signed.
Clarke leaves as Scotland’s most successful manager in modern times, and the search for his successor is now officially under way.
