‘Who do you think you are?!’ – Steve Clarke told to ‘grow up’ by furious Scotland World Cup reporter

Jun 25, 2026 - 08:30
‘Who do you think you are?!’ – Steve Clarke told to ‘grow up’ by furious Scotland World Cup reporter

Scotland manager Steve Clarke has been slammed for storming out of his post-match interview following defeat to Brazil.

The Tartan Army’s future at the World Cup is now hanging by a thread after a 3-0 thrashing on Wednesday night.

Steve Clarke in the dugout during Scotland's World Cup defeat to Brazil
Clarke walked out of an interview following Scotland’s 3-0 loss to Brazil on Wednesday
Getty

Clarke‘s side knew that just a point would secure their spot in the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time ever.

And even a low-scoring defeat to Brazil would likely have been enough to historically claim a place in the round of 32.

But after gifting Vinicius Junior an early opener, they went on to lose by three to Carlo Ancelotti‘s South American giants.

Opta now believe Scotland have less than a 50 per cent chance of going through as one of the eight best third-placed finishers.

As for Clarke, he admitted that he thinks his side are going home and the Scottish manager was furious after the game.

He stormed out of his post-match interview – and that’s something that has left talkSPORT’s Scotland correspondent Shebahn Aherne raging.

‘Grow up’

Aherne slammed Clarke, who signed a new four-year deal as Scotland boss before the World Cup, in a damning assessment, ranting on talkSPORT Breakfast: “It’s not good enough.

“Who do you think you are?! Do you think you’re Pep [Guardiola]? Because you’re not.

“We’ve not been at a World Cup since 1998 and it’s incredible that we’re there, and that’s down to Clarke, so I get that he’s done his bit.

“But last week it [Clarke walking out] happened after Morocco to someone [a reporter] I’ve known for a very long time… you storm off from someone like that when they’ve got their job to do.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke
Clarke has been slammed for his behaviour following the damaging loss
Getty

“And then six days later, you do the same thing again… you have to do this, you have to front up to it as a lot of people have spent a lot of money being here and following this team, representing Scotland.

“You’re our guy, our gaffer, and you come out and can’t even suit up for a moment and front up to it. That really bothers me.”

Aherne continued: “We’ve not been able to speak to Clarke once on this trip and I thought we have had the opportunity.

“We’re all here to do a job and I get he’s done his bit in getting us here, but at the end of the day, when the full-time whistle blows, you’ve just got to get on with it.

“So, I’m really disappointed in that, because I love him, he has given up the opportunity to be here, to be at the Euros.

“But don’t speak to people like that, don’t behave like that. Just grow up.”

Scotland's group at the World Cup
Scotland still have a chance of going through as one of the best third-place finishers
talkSPORT

Can Scotland still go through?

Despite Clarke thinking his Scotland side are heading home, Opta stats don’t lie, so they do still have a chance.

But they’re going to need things to go their way…

The Tartan Army need at least four teams who also finish third in their group to end the group stages with a worse record.

So, they’ll need four nations to finish with fewer than three points or with three points but with a worse goal difference.

If a country has the same points and the same goal difference as Scotland, it then goes down to goals scored, but John McGinn‘s goal against Haiti is the only one they netted all tournament.

And with four more days full of fixtures still to be played, they’re going to need a small miracle to not miss out.

As things stand, Sweden, Croatia, Algeria, Paraguay, Cape Verde, Belgium, DR Congo, Ecuador and Senegal are just some of the teams that can have an impact on whether the Scots will be eliminated.

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