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:
49. Number 2 - Graeme Souness
At his peak he would have augmented the midfield of any country in the world. A driving force of the great Liverpool side of the late 1970s and 1980s, he led the Reds to European Cup glory as skipper in 1984 in Rome having been the de facto leader in the 1978 and 1981 triumphs as well. Made his mark for Scotland, too, and played at three World Cups, although Alex Ferguson left him of the pivotal final match v Uruguay in 1986 in a feisty clash that seemed made for him. He was struggling with food poisoning but even now one wonders what might have happened had he been on the pitch. By now player-manager at Rangers, he didn’t play again for Scotland and finished with 54 caps and four goals, including a late equaliser against USSR at the 1982 World Cup that briefly raised hopes a second-stage securing victory might be achieved. Photo: SNS Group
50. Number 1 - Kenny Dalglish
King Kenny. An outrageously gifted forward, there could really only be one name at the top of this list. A real-life Roy of the Rovers for a generation although it was Kenny of Celtic and Liverpool, as well as, of course, Scotland. Whatever the colour of his jersey, he excelled. Turned many youngsters on to football through his brilliance and the sheer joy that radiated from him as he played the game and celebrated goals, very few of which seemed to be ordinary ones. One thinks of his header against Wales in the World Cup qualifying crunch match against Wales in 1977 at Anfield, a strike v Belgium from an impossibly tight angle in 1982 and a thrilling effort into the top corner in a famous 3-1 victory over Spain at Hampden in 1984 that equalled Denis Law’s record total of 30 international goals. Pulled out of the Scotland squad for Mexico ’86 due to injury but played at 1974, 1978 and 1982, scorning in the latter two against the Netherlands and New Zealand. Even German legend Franz Beckenbauer paid homage on the occasion of his 100th cap against Romania, presenting Dalglish with a trophy on the pitch at Hampden. He eventually reached a record 102 caps while remaining joint top with Law on goals scored. Photo: SNS Group