The miss that cost Scotland a place in the 1974 FIFA World Cup

It was one of the first in the long, illustrious list of glorious failures from the Scottish national football team.
The date was June 18, 1974 and Scotland lined up against Brazil in Frankfurt, West Germany.
Scotland didn’t have a bad team, either. At the heart of it, their captain in midfield: Billy Bremner. He’d won the lot with Leeds United at club level but hadn’t had chance to play at a World Cup with Scotland yet.
Scotland had won their first group match comfortably, 2-0, although this was to be expected against Zaire in Dortmund. Peter Lorimer and Joe Jordan with the first half goals.
Next were the world champions Brazil, with a strong Yugoslavia to come in the final group match. The pair had drawn 0-0 in the first match, so a win for Scotland was as good as qualification.
Deep into the second half, Peter Lorimer swung in a back-post corner onto the head of Joe Jordan which Emerson Leao in the Brazilian net could only parry.
To Billy Bremner five yards out, with the net gaping.
The ball came too quick for the midfielder and the ball trickled wide. The match would be drawn 0-0.
Four days later, Scotland drew with Yugoslavia and the three teams were split by their results against Zaire.
Scotland’s comfortable 2-0 win had suddenly become insufficient when stacked up against Brazil’s 3-0 victory and Yugoslavia’s 9-0 hammering.
Scotland were out at the groups. They have yet to qualify from an international tournament group stage after 11 attempts.
#Scotland #FIFAWorldCup
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Voice: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
Illustrations: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
Words: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
Edit: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
What If Football is a form of footballing storytelling that takes the audience down a different path to our current reality.
What If Football covers football in all forms, from the Premier League to the Champions League, European football and the EFL as well as international tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championships.
What scenarios would you like What If Football to cover? Please let us know in the comments section.

[@QTXAdsy]

Good to see this scenario up and the history of Argentine football goes down a different path here!

[@gabrieleitor280]

Good video man!!❤️ sorry again as i said in the other video... i was with my two soulmates!❤️ so well! good video! i love the fact that Holland and Brazil won the World cups!❤️ and as anyways have a great week!❤️ love you!!!❤️ see you!❤️

[@MickythegaS]

Scotland would have burried any of the teams (W.Germany, Poland etc), apart from Holland in 74.

[@silverarrowslk]

Totally agree

[@faddy24]

Yes that Scotland team were capable of reaching the semi final, possibly even the final.

[@josephkyffin8908]

What if Matt Busby was Liverpool manager?

[@user-uh6sv9lb1x]

At least they beat Zaire

[@JoaoVictor-mw8ln]

what if pep guardiola became brazil national team manager in december 2012 daniel alves has said that after the barcelona job he wanted the brazil job i am from brazil a i love your videos

[@WhatIfFootball3417]

Thank you

[@jamiejennings7950]

What if Chelsea didn’t win the 2012 Champions League?

[@JoaoVictor-mw8ln]

he already did it

[@capyblapyshorts9777]

Who was number 11 in that game?

[@MrDonaldTrain]

Peter Lorimer for 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿; Caju for 🇧🇷

[@capyblapyshorts9777]

@@MrDonaldTrain thankyou

[@harrynewiss4630]

Hahaha

[@OlizerVanAntoninus]

Scotland would have struggled against W.Ger and Poland. May have beat Sweden though.