FIFA WC 2026: Scotland more comfortable as underdog against Morocco, says coach Clarke
Foxborough: Scotland head coach Steve Clarke believes his side may perform better as an underdog when it takes on Morocco in its second World Cup group match on Saturday at Boston Stadium.
Scotland tops Group C after beating Haiti 1-0 in its opener, which also marked its first World Cup match since 1998 and its first win at the tournament since 1990. One more point would all but secure Scotland’s first-ever place in the knockout stage.
“Against difficult opponents, we have to be very good,” Clarke said at a press conference, as quoted u Xinhua. “I feel Morocco are really, really good. They reached the semi-finals in the last World Cup and I have a feeling this Moroccan team is probably even better.
Sometimes the Scottish psyche, the Scottish mentality, is that we’re a little bit more comfortable when we’re the underdogs. We were the favourites against Haiti and we found the game a struggle, but we managed to win. This time we’re the underdogs and sometimes Scotland prefer it that way,” he added.
Scotland last met Morocco at a World Cup in France in 1998, when a 3-0 defeat saw it eliminated. “We know how difficult it’s going to be. We’re now playing against one of the best teams in the world. But we also believe that if we perform to our maximum, we can make it difficult for anyone,” Scotland skipper Andy Robertson said.
Being able to call upon inspirational captain Robertson, Clarke explained, offers further cause for optimism. “He’s a proper leader. He’s really important for the dynamic of the group. The players all respect him for what he does on the pitch, but they also respect him for what he does off the pitch. He drives the standards along with the rest of the senior players,” Clarke said.
“We’re starting to introduce a younger group – the next generation of Scottish footballers – and if they can all look at what Andy Robertson does when he represents his country, then we should be in a good place,” he said.