Scotland’s campaign concluded after the group stage. Steve Clarke’s side needed a miracle to stay alive. They had to secure victory in one match, hold a draw in another and hope a rival lost, all to finish as a third‑placed team. The required win was against a traditional foe, the draw had to come in a different game, and a competitor was forced to slip up. None of those results happened.
The squad will return to Britain with no spot in the knockout rounds. Their World Cup tally will not grow this summer. Scotland now turns its focus to rebuilding for Euro 2028.