In the build-up to Euro 2024, The Scotsman has embarked on a project to list the top 50 Scotland players of the past 50 years.
This is not an easy exercise by any stretch of the imagination. There have been so many immensely talented football players to pull on the blue shirt of Scotland since 1974. Undoubtedly, this list will spark debate because many viewers are defined by their era, what they look for in a footballer and what their memories are of the national team. But that is the beauty of collating such a list – it is designed to get people thinking, to spark debate and recollections of some wonderful players to represent this country.
We run the list down from No 50 to No 1 and next week, we will release a two-part, 90-minute video with former Scotland winger and now pundit Pat Nevin, who in discussion with our chief football writer Alan Pattullo and sports editor Mark Atkinson picks his XI from our list that, in a hypothetical situation, would take on Germany in the Euro 2024 opener – and go on to win the tournament (maybe). Watch out for that landing on www.scotsman.com in the coming days.
So, without further ado, here is The Scotsman’s top 50 Scotland players from the past 50 years:
We run the list down from No 50 to No 1 and next week, we will release a two-part, 90-minute video with former Scotland winger and now pundit Pat Nevin, who in discussion with our chief football writer Alan Pattullo and sports editor Mark Atkinson picks his XI from our list that, in a hypothetical situation, would take on Germany in the Euro 2024 opener – and go on to win the tournament (maybe). Watch out for that landing on www.scotsman.com in the coming days.
![There are many memorable moments in Scottish football history, including the aforementioned Archie Gemmill’s goal against the Netherlands at the 1978 World Cup. Not far behind it is Strachan’s strike against West Germany at Mexico ’86 – perhaps not so much the finish, which was a decent enough hit on the angle past Harald Schumacher, more the diminutive midfielder’s comically exaggerated attempt to scale an advertising hoarding in the immediate aftermath as he celebrated with the Tartan Army. Also played at the ’82 World Cup and scored five goals in 50 appearances between 1980 and 1992. He retired from the international scene due to a back injury on the same weekend as he paraded the English league championship trophy, won with Leeds United at the age of 35. Manager Andy Roxburgh had been expecting him to lead Scotland at Euro 92 weeks later.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjkwYzEyYTllLTJlODItNDU4ZC04MDI3LTAyN2FjNGFhOGY3Njo0ZWJlYTE0MC1jNzMxLTQwNjMtODg0YS00YWMwNTVhMjQ3MmM=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
45. Number 6 - Gordon Strachan
There are many memorable moments in Scottish football history, including the aforementioned Archie Gemmill’s goal against the Netherlands at the 1978 World Cup. Not far behind it is Strachan’s strike against West Germany at Mexico ’86 – perhaps not so much the finish, which was a decent enough hit on the angle past Harald Schumacher, more the diminutive midfielder’s comically exaggerated attempt to scale an advertising hoarding in the immediate aftermath as he celebrated with the Tartan Army. Also played at the ’82 World Cup and scored five goals in 50 appearances between 1980 and 1992. He retired from the international scene due to a back injury on the same weekend as he paraded the English league championship trophy, won with Leeds United at the age of 35. Manager Andy Roxburgh had been expecting him to lead Scotland at Euro 92 weeks later.Photo: SNS Group
![Another Tartan Army icon, who scored a towering header against England in the memorable 1977 ‘Jubilee’ win at Wembley. Gave everything for the cause, to the extent that his 30-caps total would have been far greater but for injury. The greatest frustration was his inactivity at the 1978 World Cup due to a knee injury – sustained when he ran into a post while trying to clear a goal-bound effort in a Home International fixture against Wales a few weeks earlier. He did travel with the squad, with Ally MacLeod keen to have him for the later stages. That proved a hubristic plan. By now at Manchester United following a controversial move from Leeds United, McQueen played ten further times for Scotland. There was talk of him making an international comeback at the 1982 World Cup, although that possibility was nixed – because of injury unsurprisingly.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjE0MWJjMDk5LTBhODctNGY2Mi1hMWJlLTYxNzg1MDE5ODJkMjoxNjhhY2M1Mi0yYjhmLTQxM2EtOTkxYi01MGY1N2JlOTdmMmQ=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
46. Number 5 - Gordon McQueen
Another Tartan Army icon, who scored a towering header against England in the memorable 1977 ‘Jubilee’ win at Wembley. Gave everything for the cause, to the extent that his 30-caps total would have been far greater but for injury. The greatest frustration was his inactivity at the 1978 World Cup due to a knee injury – sustained when he ran into a post while trying to clear a goal-bound effort in a Home International fixture against Wales a few weeks earlier. He did travel with the squad, with Ally MacLeod keen to have him for the later stages. That proved a hubristic plan. By now at Manchester United following a controversial move from Leeds United, McQueen played ten further times for Scotland. There was talk of him making an international comeback at the 1982 World Cup, although that possibility was nixed – because of injury unsurprisingly.Photo: Colorsport/Shutterstock
![Few players have enjoyed such a dramatic rise as Robertson, who one minute it seemed was selling programmes at Hampden as a Queen’s Park youth and then the next was leading out his country at the same stadium. Of course, there was plenty of hard work between these two events, with a season at Dundee United leading to a move to Hull City and then a transfer to Liverpool, where he slowly but surely established himself as Liverpool’s left back, winning the Champions League as well as English league title at Anfield. Captained Scotland as they ended a major finals drought by qualifying for Euro 2020 and will lead them out again, fitness permitting, against Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024. An inspiration since making his debut against Poland in 2014.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjg3MmIzZjNhLWJhZmMtNDkzZC1hNDU3LWM0MGNiZjViNTU1ZjpjODFlODIzYi03ZTdjLTRkZGQtOWNmZS05MThlMjIzOTNmNmY=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
47. Number 4 - Andy Robertson
Few players have enjoyed such a dramatic rise as Robertson, who one minute it seemed was selling programmes at Hampden as a Queen’s Park youth and then the next was leading out his country at the same stadium. Of course, there was plenty of hard work between these two events, with a season at Dundee United leading to a move to Hull City and then a transfer to Liverpool, where he slowly but surely established himself as Liverpool’s left back, winning the Champions League as well as English league title at Anfield. Captained Scotland as they ended a major finals drought by qualifying for Euro 2020 and will lead them out again, fitness permitting, against Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024. An inspiration since making his debut against Poland in 2014.Photo: Ross Parker - SNS Group
![Fractured skull, diabetes – nothing fazed Daniel Fergus McGrain, certainly not opposition wingers, some of whom, although world-class themselves, met their match in a versatile full-back who seemed as at ease at left-back as right-back, his preferred position and where he played most often at Celtic. The presence of Sandy Jardine, number 11 in our list, meant McGrain was used on the left sometimes by Scotland – an unusual Rangers-Celtic alliance that was first deployed in 1973 against England. The pair played 20 times together for Scotland, meaning McGrain played nearly a third of his 62 caps ‘out of position’ and yet still features so highly here, which is testament to his ability. Ended his international career at a fittingly grand stage – the World Cup in 1982, having missed 1978 through injury. He was brought on by Jock Stein as sub against USSR in the final group game.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjI0NTE4NjYwLTA4MTktNGZlOS1hMzVlLWM4Y2Y2YjdiZWU2Zjo4MGZiMjUzNS03NTUzLTQ5ODItOGU3ZS0zZWUyYzcyMmExYzc=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
48. Number 3 - Danny McGrain
Fractured skull, diabetes – nothing fazed Daniel Fergus McGrain, certainly not opposition wingers, some of whom, although world-class themselves, met their match in a versatile full-back who seemed as at ease at left-back as right-back, his preferred position and where he played most often at Celtic. The presence of Sandy Jardine, number 11 in our list, meant McGrain was used on the left sometimes by Scotland – an unusual Rangers-Celtic alliance that was first deployed in 1973 against England. The pair played 20 times together for Scotland, meaning McGrain played nearly a third of his 62 caps ‘out of position’ and yet still features so highly here, which is testament to his ability. Ended his international career at a fittingly grand stage – the World Cup in 1982, having missed 1978 through injury. He was brought on by Jock Stein as sub against USSR in the final group game.Photo: SNS Group