Is Scottish Soccer Underestimated Outside of Scotland?

Rangers and Celtic dominate the club scene in Scotland, winning the league title every season. If it is not Rangers, then it will most likely be Celtic. That has been the case for decades.

Aberdeen did break the Old Firm with Sir Alex as manager. His success with Aberdeen, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup and a few league titles, impressed Man Utd. Convincing them that he was the right manager for Old Trafford, Sir Alex joined the Manchester club in the 1980s.

Sir Alex’s impact on English soccer with Man Utd cannot be denied. They easily have the best historical record in the Premiership, and used to dominate the league. In European soccer, Manchester Utd have won three Champions League titles. So, managers such as Sir Alex and Stein proved there are some great Scottish coaches.

Scotland’s International Team

At the international level, the Scottish soccer team has only qualified for a couple of European Championships since 1998. In Euro 2020, Scotland got a creditable 0-0 draw against England, but were still eliminated in the group stages nonetheless. Their overall record is not one of a top international team comparable to Spain, Argentina, Germany, or even England.

When Scotland plays, there is no lack of commitment. However, their team lacks top-class players, especially strikers and center-backs. Against the top international teams, Scotland invariably struggle to get results and have never made a notable impact in the World Cup or European Championships, but have played in a good number.

End of My Scottish Soccer Underestimated Rant

At the club level, the Old Firm have had some good teams in Europe. The likes of Celtic and Rangers have reached the UEFA Cup final, and proved they can compete with the best in the Champions League (remembering Celtic’s victory against Barcelona in 2012). So, the Old Firm are sometimes underestimated in Europe, given the slightly substandard SPL league they play in.

Yet, the fact remains that the Scotland international team consistently fails to have any notable impact in major tournaments, as it has never advanced past the first round. The small country excuse for Scotland’s failings doesn’t hold up when the likes of Wales, Iceland, and Uruguay have all at least reached the quarter-final stages of tournaments. Gareth Bale was a Welsh superstar player who propelled Wales to the European Championship semi-finals. So, Scotland might only need one superstar player like him to make a bigger impact in international soccer.