Scotland Men's Football Team

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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke: "I thought we were brave with the ball. We tried to play, tried to create chances. On another night we would've got what we deserved.

"There's so much disappointment in the dressing room that it's probably better to wait until we get back to Glasgow to analyse the game, but I feel like we're on the right path.

"We haven't regressed. We just have to keep believing, keep pushing away.

"We felt as though we managed to rescue a point and then that's taken away, so you can understand why [the players] are really down just now.

"We'll go away lick our wounds and prepare to go again on Tuesday night."

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• Luka Modric, winning his 181st cap, gave his side enough control to lay the platform for this victory, while Kramaric popped up with his 30th international goal on his 99th Croatia appearance.

• Croatia, with a population smaller than Scotland, are the envy of plenty of European nations with their ability to keep producing world-class talent.

• As their golden generation rages against the dying of the light, they will do well to emulate this group which keeps churning out results.

• Match stats

• Scotland extended their longest winless run in competitive matches in their history (P9 D3 L6), while they've now lost four consecutive games for the first time in five years, last doing so in October 2019.

• Scotland have lost six points from winning positions in the 2024-2025 Nations League, more than any other team.

• Having become the oldest player to appear for Scotland when he came on as a substitute against Finland in June, Craig Gordon (41 yrs 286d) is now also the oldest player to start a match in Scotland's history – becoming the third 40+ year old to do so after Jim Leighton and David Weir.

• Ben Doak (18y 336d) became the youngest player to start a competitive match for Scotland since Willie Johnston against Poland in October 1965 (18y 298d).

• Croatia have won their last two matches against Scotland, having been winless in their first five meetings beforehand (D3 L2).

• Ryan Christie scored his seventh goal for Scotland (55th appearance), with five of the seven coming away from home. He's now scored twice in his last six international starts, as many as he netted in his previous 20.

• Andrej Kramaric scored his 30th goal for Croatia on his 99th appearance, with more than half of these (16) coming since he turned 30, while he's scored twice as many goals (8) than any other Croatian player since the start of 2023.

Scotland remain winless in Nations League A as Croatia came from behind to triumph in Zagreb and prolong Steve Clarke's side's 13-month wait for a competitive victory.

Missing key players and on a run of one win in 14 games, Scotland battled well in a cagey match and thought they had snatched a draw in the 95th minute, but Kristijan Jakic's own goal was ruled out for offside against Che Adams in a dramatic finish.

It had started so well for Scotland when Ryan Christie squeezed in the opening goal after Ben Doak's cross was swiped into his path by Luka Sucic.

But their lead only lasted four minutes, Igor Matanovic steering Ivan Perisic's cutback into the bottom corner to level before the break.

That allowed Croatia to turn the screw in the second half and Zlatko Dalic's side broke Scotland's resistance on 70 minutes.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon initially blocked Borna Sosa's powerful close-range drive, but Andrej Kramaric was lurking at the back post to head in the rebound.

What did you make of the performance? – have your say here, external.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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When Che Adams wheeled away in celebration having thought he had helped snatch a draw with the final kick of the game, there was a sense Scotland were about to get what their performance merited.

Missing over 10 players including John McGinn, Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson, Scott McKenna, and with Adams not fit enough to start, Steve Clarke’s depleted group were mostly disciplined and restricted Croatia to few quality chances.

Up the other end 18-year-old Ben Doak in particular shone on his first start, driving the team forward up the right wing and helping tee up Christie's opener.

There were enough bright points, as there were in defeats by Poland and Portugal, but again it ended up in a close one-goal defeat.

The stats make for grim reading given it is one win - against Gibraltar - in their last 15 outings, while it is now 35 goals conceded in that run.

However that does not tell the whole story. It was always going to be tough for Scotland playing the very best in European international football, even with everyone fit and available.

But with so many players injured and amidst a change of shape and style, the task has become even tougher.

Clarke has made sure Scotland have been competitive regardless, but the longer the poor run continues the more talk of positives will fall on deaf ears.

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It's safe to say Che Adams is loving life in Italy.

Since switching Southampton for Torino in the summer, the 28-year-old strker has four goals in nine games and is, unsurprisingly, in fine fettle for Scotland's Nations League assignment in Croatia.

"Everything's going well so far and hopefully we can keep it up," Adams said in an interview with the Scottish FA. "I'm just, right now, riding the wave and enjoying every single minute of it.

"I think it was always there in the back of my mind to go abroad. I just wanted to try something different in my career because football is a short career and you've got to maximise it as best as you can.

"When the opportunity came up, I was up for taking it."

And taking it he has. The striker couldn't have got off to a better start by scoring the winner in Torno's first home game of the season, and has quickly got the supporters on side.

"I was obviously delighted to get off to a good start," he added. "It was nice to get the first goal on home soil and the guy on the speakerphone, when you score, it’s an amazing feeling."

Adams, of course, is not the sole Scot flying the Saltire out in Italy with Lewis Ferguson at Bologna and Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay at Napoli, while Under-21 captain Josh Doig is in Serie B with Sassuolo.

"It just opens everyone's mind up and shows that there is possibilities for people to go abroad and enjoy themselves and take on a different challenge," Adams added.

"I think it's easy to stay in your comfort zone and stay where you know best, but really expanding your life and the life skills you pick up along the way is massive."

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Defender Anthony Ralston believes Scotland deserved more from their opening two games in the new Nations League campaign but says they must not dwell on missed opportunities.

Steve Clarke's side lost to Poland and Portugal but acquitted themselves well despite slipping to defeats that extended Scotland's run without a win in competitive matches to eight games.

The Celtic right-back is certain the squad is in the right frame of mind to tackle Croatia on Saturday.

"We're in a good place as a squad, there's good morale in the team," he said.

"The aim is to get a win, at the very least a point on the board. Over the course of the last two games, I believe we deserved more out of the games.

"Unfortunately in football, sometimes that doesn't happen. It's down to us as a team – as individuals and a squad – to put those wee things right to ensure we take something away from these games, which we've deserved.

"It's very difficult [to keep spirits up] when you deserve results from your performances and they don't come.

"It can become taxing personally and as a team and as a squad. But, we have a really good squad of boys and it's important we use that going into games in the future and we don't dwell too much on the past as there are a lot of positives to take from performances."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Zagreb

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Steve Clarke is adamant Scotland "haven't regressed" despite their "horrible" run which leaves them with just one win in their last 14.

The Scots are in Zagreb to take on Croatia in their third League A Nations League game after opening the campaign with back-to-back defeats, but Clarke is not focussing on the numbers.

"I don't bother about stats, I'm not a stats person, I'm not driven by stats," the head coach said. "We've played a lot of really good opponents in the last year, from October last year, the results haven't been quite what we wanted in terms of victories.

"We haven't regressed, I don't think we've gone backwards and we've always worked hard to try and work forwards."

The run includes matches these League A games, Euro 2024 and friendlies against nations such as England, France and the Netherlands.

When asked if Scotland are a victim of their own success, Clarke said: "It's a nice price to pay when you have matches of this calibre, when you qualify for tournaments, when you get to the highest level of the Nations League.

"We've done something right to be here, we’re now finding a level which is a little bit more difficult for us, but we have to meet that challenge head on.

"If we do that, we’ll come out the other side with a better group and a better understanding of what you need to do at this level to get positive results."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Zagreb

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Head coach Steve Clarke has been addressing the media to preview Scotland's Nations League match with Croatia on Saturday.

Here are the key things he said:

• Clarke said, "not winning games is horrible" as Scotland aim to end their wretched run of one win in 14.

• In saying that, though, the head coach added his side "haven't regressed".

• When asked if his side are a victim of their own success, he said, "it's a nice price to pay."

• As the head coach, he has to look at the bigger picture. "I’m not saying we’re using this campaign to prepare for the next qualifying campaign, but there is an element of that where we can use these matches to try and prepare ourselves."

• Clarke has "admiration" for how Croatia develop and perform on the biggest international stage despite their size and urges Scotland to use them as "a model".

• He said it's "disappointing" to have the game televised.

• On his squad, James Forrest has not travelled and will be assessed by Celtic before Tuesday's game against Portugal.

"It’s going to be nice that someone is actually older than me on the pitch."

At the age of 39, it's rare for Luka Modric to be able to say that these days.

But it looks set to be the case with Craig Gordon likely to start between the sticks for Scotland against Croatia.

In his last game against Steve Clarke's side, Modric scored as his side won 3-1 and knocked Scotland out of Euro 2020. It's a fond memory for the Real Madrid captain.

"The last match against Scotland has excellent memories for all of us," he said previewing Saturday's game in Zagreb.

"It was a difficult game against a tough opponent, as it always is against Scotland.

"Their main qualities are passion, toughness and togetherness. It reminds me of Croatian teams, in a way, because you can tell playing for Scotland is a great honour and it has huge importance for the players."

Many members of the Tartan Army would have been hoping, when the draw was made earlier this year, that the magic midfielder would have retired from the international scene by now... no such luck.

When asked how he's still pulling on the national team shirt, he said: "It's a love for football and for Croatia. Playing for the national team is something special, it’s the highest of honours and that's what motivates me."

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• This will be the first meeting between Croatia and Scotland since Euro 2020 when the Vatreni won 3-1 at Hampden to eliminate the Scots from the competition.

• Scotland are unbeaten on their two previous away trips to face Croatia, drawing 1-1 in October 2000 and most recently winning 1-0 in June 2013 thanks to a Robert Snodgrass goal.

• Croatia have won each of their last three home matches across all competitions and will be aiming to win four such games in a row for the first time since October 2020 and for the first time without conceding since June 2016.

• Scotland are winless in their last eight competitive matches (D3 L5), the longest streak of their history. The Scots could lose four games in a row for the first time since October 2019.

• Croatia have won six of their last eight games in the Nations League (D1 L1), after winning just two of their first 12 matches in the competition (D2 L8).

• Scotland's starting XI against Portugal on matchday two had won 493 caps between them, the most for a game in their history.

• Mateo Kovacic could make his 107th appearance for Croatia, moving him ahead of Ivan Rakitic into outright fifth for most appearances for the nation; two of the four players above him also played in Croatia's 1-0 win against Poland last time out (Luka Modric – 180 and Ivan Perisic – 136).

• Scott McTominay has scored 11 goals for Scotland, all in competitive fixtures. Only Robert Hamilton (15/15 – 1899-1911), Robert McColl (13/13 – 1896-1908) and Andy Wilson (13/13 – 1920-1923) have scored more for the nation with 100% of them coming in competitive fixtures.

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Croatia boast talent including Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric and Manchester City pair Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol. Gulp.

So how might Scotland tear up the form book and stun the Croats in Zagreb on Saturday?

Croatian football expert Vrdoljak Juraj says slick counter-attacking and savvy set-pieces will be key.

"Scotland's recent form could easily get a team like Croatia very complacent, but I don't get the feeling they are. No one is taking the game lightly or thinking it well be easy, not in the slightest," Juraj told the BBC's Scottish football podcast.

"Especially with the home crowd, Croatia is very focused on the game. Croatia has a debt to settle after the Euros and they need to prove themselves.

"Scotland will need to be fast on their transitions. Croatia will try to score as soon as possible because that's one thing that brings out the nervousness from the game.

"But Scotland will have opportunities to counter-attack. Scotland need to be fast on the break and also if they manage to get a set piece close to the Croatian goal, that's where the chances lie.

"There's been some issues with Croatia defending set-pieces, so those are the two two biggest chances to hurt us."

Despite having turned 39 last month, midfielder Modric is still the man who "pulls the strings" for the Croats, says Juraj.

He added: "For Scotland, the one player you don't want to allow a lot of time on the ball, a lot of time to pick his options, is Modric.

"He's still controlling the whole midfield and he's near his 40th birthday. He's still the main player of this squad and our most important player."

Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson took a sizeable step towards a return to first-team action when the 22-year-old completed 90 minutes for Everton's under-21s against their counterparts from League One side Reading on Monday. (The Athletic), external

Las Palmas is a possible destination for Kieran Tierney as Arsenal look to let the out-of-favour 27-year-old Scotland left-back leave on loan in January after his recovery from injury. (Grada3), external

Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay says he would happily reopen contract talks with Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland, whose current deal ends next summer, but warned he will never smash the club’s wage structure to keep the 29-year-old club captain. (Daily Record), external

Scotland midfielder Kenny McLean says it only took one discussion with new Norwich City manager Johannes Hoff Thorup to persuade him to sign a new contract this summer despite the 32-year-old being linked with Rangers. (The Herald), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Midfielder Kenny McLean insists Steve Clarke's Scotland "are a good team" and head to their Nations League assignment in Croatia "with belief" despite just one win in 14.