Steve Clarke is keen to highlight Haiti’s recent resounding victory over New Zealand as a timely reminder for Scotland to temper any arrogance ahead of their World Cup clash. The 4-0 triumph in Florida has certainly raised eyebrows back in Scotland, particularly with Clarke’s team facing the 82nd-ranked nation as a pivotal step in their quest for progression in Group C, which also features Morocco and Brazil. Scotland is set to face Haiti in Boston next Saturday.
“They were impressive the other night, there’s no denying that,” Clarke remarked. “We have a troubling tendency—in Scotland and the UK more broadly—to underestimate teams based on their rankings or perceived inferiority. The reality is they compete in a different setting, one that may be far more competitive than we realize.”
Reflecting on Haiti’s performance, Clarke noted, “If you watched them play recently, it’s clear they outclassed New Zealand. They’re not just big and strong; they combine that physicality with technical skill. Many of their players compete in strong leagues, so I’ve always recognized this won’t be an easy match. It’s probably beneficial for us to see how they played against New Zealand; we know this will be a challenging game.”
Clarke continued, emphasizing the organized nature of Haiti’s play: “It’s not just ‘free-style’ football; their structure is robust. Their athleticism makes it difficult to break them down.”
Scotland’s coaching staff were on hand to observe Haiti’s win over New Zealand. While training in Florida, the team has since relocated to New Jersey for a friendly encounter with Bolivia on Saturday. However, preparations for Scotland’s first World Cup appearance since 1998 have faced setbacks, notably the injury to Billy Gilmour against Curacao last weekend. The unfortunate setback has ruled the Napoli midfielder out of the tournament. Nonetheless, Clarke remains resolute that injuries should not derail the team’s plans.
“Do you want to wrap them in cotton wool and stop training?” Clarke posed. “Players need to keep working. Injuries are simply part of football. It’s disheartening, especially given how Billy was hurt, but we all have to take a deep breath and press forward. That’s exactly what we intend to do.”
