Scotland's all-time FIFA World Cup statistics

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In this continuously-updated article, we take a look at Scotland's all-time FIFA World Cup statistics.

All-time record across 9 FIFA World Cup appearances (1954–2026)

Confederation	UEFA
Best FIFA World Cup achievement	Group stage (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998)
FIFA World Cup appearances (inc 2026)	9 (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2026)
First FIFA World Cup	1954 (group stage)
Most recent FIFA World Cup	1998 (group stage)
Current sequence of successive qualifications (inc 2026)	1 (2026)
FIFA World Cup hosts	N/A

Record by tournament

Year - Host	Result	Head coach	Top scorer	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD
1930 - URU	Did not participate
1934 - ITA	Did not participate
1938 - FRA	Did not participate
1950 - BRA	Did not participate
1954 - SUI	Group stage	Andy Battie, SCO		2	0	0	2	0	8	-8
1958 - SWE	Group stage	Dawson Walker, SCO	Four players (1)	3	0	1	2	4	6	-2
1962 - CHI	Did not qualify
1966 - ENG	Did not qualify
1970 - MEX	Did not qualify
1974 - FRG	Group stage	Willie Ormond, SCO	Joe Jordan (2)	3	1	2	0	3	1	2
1978 - ARG	Group stage	MacLEOD Alistair, SCO	Archie Gemmill (2)	3	1	1	1	5	6	-1
1982 - ESP	Group stage	Jock Stein, SCO	John Wark (2)	3	1	1	1	8	8	0
1986 - MEX	Group stage	Alex Ferguson, SCO	Gordon Strachan (1)	3	0	1	2	1	3	-2
1990 - ITA	Group stage	Andy Roxburgh, SCO	Mo Johnston, McCALL Stuart (1)	3	1	0	2	2	3	-1
1994 - USA	Did not qualify
1998 - FRA	Group stage	Craig Brown, SCO	Craig Burley, John Collins (1)	3	0	1	2	2	6	-4
2002 - JPN/KOR	Did not qualify
2006 - GER	Did not qualify
2010 - RSA	Did not qualify
2014 - BRA	Did not qualify
2018 - RUS	Did not qualify
2022 - QAT	Did not qualify
OVERALL RECORD				23	4	7	12	25	41	-16

P = Played · W = Won · D = Drawn · L = Lost · F = Goals for · A = Goals against · GD = Goal difference

All-time World Cup record

Phase	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Overall	23	4	7	12	25	41	-16
Group stage	23	4	7	12	25	41	-16
Knockout phase	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

GF = Goals for · GA = Goals against · GD = Goal difference

General team records

Biggest win	5-2: vs New Zealand (group stage, 15/06/1982)
Biggest defeat	0-7: vs Uruguay (group stage, 19/06/1954)
Highest scoring draw	2-2: vs Soviet Union (group stage, 22/06/1982)
Highest scoring match	7 goals: twice, most recently, Scotland 5-2 New Zealand (group stage, 15/06/1982)
Most goals scored in a match	5 goals: 5-2 vs New Zealand (group stage, 15/06/1982)
Most goals conceded in a match	7 goals: 0-7 vs Uruguay (group stage, 19/06/1954)
Most goals scored at a FIFA World Cup	8: 1982 (3 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA World Cup	0: 1954 (2 matches)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup	8: twice, most recently, 1982 (3 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup	1: 1974 (3 matches)

Streaks

Successive wins	2: 11/06/1978 - 15/06/1982
Successive defeats	2: four times, most recently, 20/06/1990 - 10/06/1998
Successive draws	2: 18/06/1974 - 22/06/1974
Successive matches without a defeat	3: twice, most recently, 07/06/1978 - 15/06/1982
Successive matches without a win	6: 18/06/1982 - 11/06/1990
Successive matches with a goal scored	7: 22/06/1974 - 22/06/1982
Successive matches without scoring	2: twice, most recently, 13/06/1986 - 11/06/1990
Successive clean sheets	2: 14/06/1974 - 18/06/1974

Knockout records

Round by round WL record *ties won or lost

N/A

Extra time

N/A

Penalty shoot-outs

W0 L0

Player records

Most FIFA World Cup participations

4 - Jim Leighton (1982, 1986, 1990, 1998)

3 - Kenny Dalglish (1974, 1978, 1982)

3 - Joe Jordan (1974, 1978, 1982)

3 - McLEISH Alex (1982, 1986, 1990)

3 - Alan Rough (1978, 1982, 1986)

3 - Graeme Souness (1978, 1982, 1986)

Most FIFA World Cup matches played

9 - Jim Leighton (3-1986; 3-1990; 3-1998)

8 - Kenny Dalglish (3-1974; 3-1978; 2-1982)

7 - Joe Jordan (3-1974; 3-1978; 1-1982)

6 - Roy Aitken (3-1986; 3-1990)

6 - Alan Rough (3-1978; 3-1982)

6 - Graeme Souness (1-1978; 3-1982; 2-1986)

6 - Gordon Strachan (3-1982; 3-1986)

5 - Martin Buchan (2-1974; 3-1978)

5 - McGRAIN Danny (3-1974; 2-1982)

5 - McLEISH Alex (1-1982; 1-1986; 3-1990)

5 - Maurice Malpas (2-1986; 3-1990)

5 - Willie Miller (2-1982; 3-1986)

5 - David Narey (3-1982; 2-1986)

Most FIFA World Cup goals scored

4 - Joe Jordan (2-1974; 1-1978; 1-1982)

2 - Kenny Dalglish (1-1978; 1-1982)

2 - Archie Gemmill (2-1978)

2 - John Wark (2-1982)

1 - 14 players

Most FIFA World Cup tournaments with a goal

3 - Joe Jordan (1974, 1978, 1982)

2 - Kenny Dalglish (1978, 1982)

Youngest player to make an appearance at a FIFA World Cup

21y 234d - McSTAY Paul vs Uruguay (13/06/1986)

22y 181d - Joe Jordan vs Zaire (14/06/1974)

22y 313d - Alex Parker vs Paraguay (11/06/1958)

23y 0d - Alan Brazil vs New Zealand (15/06/1982)

23y 64d - James Holton vs Zaire (14/06/1974)

Youngest goalscorer at a FIFA World Cup

22y 181d - Joe Jordan vs Zaire (14/06/1974)

24y 315d - John Wark vs New Zealand (15/06/1982)

25y 124d - Jimmy Murray vs Yugoslavia (08/06/1958)

25y 261d - Steve Archibald vs New Zealand (15/06/1982)

26y 6d - McCALL Stuart vs Sweden (16/06/1990)

Oldest player to make an appearance at a FIFA World Cup

39y 334d - Jim Leighton vs Morocco (23/06/1998)

35y 64d - Eddie Turnbull vs France (15/06/1958)

34y 110d - Denis Law vs Zaire (14/06/1974)

33y 202d - McKINLAY Tosh vs Morocco (23/06/1998)

33y 147d - Colin Calderwood vs Norway (16/06/1998)

Oldest goalscorer at a FIFA World Cup

31y 103d - Kenny Dalglish vs New Zealand (15/06/1982)

31y 79d - Archie Gemmill vs Netherlands (11/06/1978)

30y 189d - Joe Jordan vs Soviet Union (22/06/1982)

30y 130d - John Collins vs Brazil (10/06/1998)

29y 146d - John Robertson vs New Zealand (15/06/1982)

Most consecutive appearances with a goal

2 - Joe Jordan (22/06/1974 - 03/06/1978)

2 - Kenny Dalglish (11/06/1978 - 15/06/1982)

Most goals in a match

2 - Archie Gemmill vs Netherlands (1978, group stage)

2 - John Wark vs New Zealand (1982, group stage(

Hat-tricks

N/A

Fastest goal scored

11' - McCALL Stuart vs Sweden (1990, group stage)

14' - Joe Jordan vs Peru (1978, group stage)

15' - Joe Jordan vs Soviet Union (1982, group stage)

Most clean sheets (GK)

2 - David Harvey (2-1974)

1 - Jim Leighton (1-1986)

Red cards

Craig Burley vs Morocco (1998, group stage)

Coaches

Most final tournaments

1 - Andy Battie, SCO (1954)

1 - Dawson Walker, SCO (1958)

1 - Willie Ormond, SCO (1974)

1 - MacLEOD Alistair, SCO (1978)

1 - Jock Stein, SCO (1982)

1 - Alex Ferguson, SCO (1986)

1 - Andy Roxburgh, SCO (1990)

1 - Craig Brown, SCO (1998)

Most matches

3 - Dawson Walker, SCO (3-1958)

3 - Willie Ormond, SCO (3-1974)

3 - MacLEOD Alistair, SCO (3-1978)

3 - Jock Stein, SCO (3-1982)

3 - Alex Ferguson, SCO (3-1986)

3 - Andy Roxburgh, SCO (3-1990)

3 - Craig Brown, SCO (3-1998)

Most matches won

1 - Willie Ormond, SCO (1-1974)

1 - MacLEOD Alistair, SCO (1-1978)

1 - Jock Stein, SCO (1-1982)

1 - Andy Roxburgh, SCO (1-1990)

Youngest coach

40y 309d - Andy Battie vs Austria (16/06/1954)

42y 86d - Dawson Walker vs Yugoslavia (08/06/1958)

44y 155d - Alex Ferguson vs Denmark (04/06/1986)

Oldest coach

59y 260d - Jock Stein vs Soviet Union (22/06/1982)

57y 357d - Craig Brown vs Morocco (23/06/1998)

47y 119d - Willie Ormond vs Yugoslavia (22/06/1974)

Penalties taken

Min.	Span	Player	Date	Match	Execution	Reason
23'	1H	John Hewie, SCO	1958-06-15	FRA vs SCO	not scored	Missed
63'	2H	Don Masson, SCO	1978-06-03	PER vs SCO	not scored	Saved
47'	2H	Archie Gemmill, SCO	1978-06-11	SCO vs NED	scored	Goal
81'	2H	Mo Johnston, SCO	1990-06-16	SWE vs SCO	scored	Goal
38'	1H	John Collins, SCO	1998-06-10	BRA vs SCO	scored	Goal

Penalties faced

Min.	Span	Goalkeeper	Opposition player	Team	Date	Match	Execution
34'	1H	Alan Rough	Rob Rensenbrink	Netherlands	11/06/1978	SCO vs NED	Conceded

Complete World Cup match results

Tournament	Date	Match
1954	16/06/1954	Austria 1-0 Scotland, Group stage (Zurich-SUI)
1954	19/06/1954	Uruguay 7-0 Scotland, Group stage (Basel-SUI)
1958	08/06/1958	Yugoslavia 1-1 Scotland, Group stage (Vasteras-SWE)
1958	11/06/1958	Paraguay 3-2 Scotland, Group stage (Norrkoping-SWE)
1958	15/06/1958	France 2-1 Scotland, Group stage (Orebro-SWE)
1974	14/06/1974	Zaire 0-2 Scotland, Group stage (Dortmund-FRG)
1974	18/06/1974	Scotland 0-0 Brazil, Group stage (Frankfurt/Main-FRG)
1974	22/06/1974	Scotland 1-1 Yugoslavia, Group stage (Frankfurt/Main-FRG)
1978	03/06/1978	Peru 3-1 Scotland, Group stage (Cordoba-ARG)
1978	07/06/1978	Scotland 1-1 IR Iran, Group stage (Cordoba-ARG)
1978	11/06/1978	Scotland 3-2 Netherlands, Group stage (Mendoza-ARG)
1982	15/06/1982	Scotland 5-2 New Zealand, Group stage (Malaga-ESP)
1982	18/06/1982	Brazil 4-1 Scotland, Group stage (Seville-ESP)
1982	22/06/1982	Soviet Union 2-2 Scotland, Group stage (Malaga-ESP)
1986	04/06/1986	Scotland 0-1 Denmark, Group stage (Nezahualcoyotl-MEX)
1986	08/06/1986	Germany FR 2-1 Scotland, Group stage (Queretaro-MEX)
1986	13/06/1986	Scotland 0-0 Uruguay, Group stage (Nezahualcoyotl-MEX)
1990	11/06/1990	Costa Rica 1-0 Scotland, Group stage (Genoa-ITA)
1990	16/06/1990	Sweden 1-2 Scotland, Group stage (Genoa-ITA)
1990	20/06/1990	Brazil 1-0 Scotland, Group stage (Turin-ITA)
1998	10/06/1998	Brazil 2-1 Scotland, Group stage (Saint-Denis-FRA)
1998	16/06/1998	Scotland 1-1 Norway, Group stage (Bordeaux-FRA)
1998	23/06/1998	Scotland 0-3 Morocco, Group stage (Saint-Etienne-FRA)