Scotland 1986: Dalglish, Souness and Rod Stewart – the Mexican World Cup recounted

Scotland's campaign at the 1986 World Cup, played in Mexico, has retained over the decades the bitter taste of an adventure as rich in anecdotes as in dramatic twists and turns. On a veranda of the selection hotel, Graeme Souness discussed potential signings for Rangers; in his room, Alex Ferguson weighed offers from Arsenal and Tottenham; and Kenny Dalglish, the country's most capped player, remained away from the field, helpless. So much for the decor before leaving for Mexico.

This edition of the World Cup was already unique even before the team reached the final phase: Jock Stein, the coach, died in the locker room just after the 1-1 draw against Wales in Cardiff which sealed qualification. His assistant, Alex Ferguson, then took over and led Scotland to the play-off against Australia - after a 0-0 in Melbourne, Ferguson led the selection to qualification with a cumulative score of 2-0.

The behind the scenes of this trip fueled the most playful stories. Goalkeeper Alan Rough remembers "a hell of a mess" on the plane home: a stopover at a Scottish social club, drunken striker David Speedie having to be carried for a live interview, and sunstroke after a putting competition. Speedie, whose behavior caused problems, was ultimately excluded from the final list. Another controversy: Alan Hansen, double English champion with Liverpool, was not among the 22 selected - Willie Miller and Alex McLeish were preferred by Ferguson, a decision which fueled the comments. A few days later, Kenny Dalglish withdrew from competition due to a knee problem; Steve Archibald, then at Barcelona, ​​took his place.

The preparation course took place in Santa Fe (New Mexico) for acclimatization at altitude, but the team also had more… worldly stopovers. A two-day stay in Los Angeles resulted in a friendly match against the LA Heat where Eamonn Bannon scored twice. Stories of a meeting with Rod Stewart abound: some players say they shared mudslingers with the singer, others speak of a party that Ferguson would not have wanted his players to attend. Alan Rough has a specific memory: a meeting at the restaurant, downed drinks and an arrival in a limousine where Charlie Nicholas was even seen sticking his head out of the sunroof to call his mother on Sunset Boulevard.

A late arrival in Mexican lands, Scotland settled in the middle of an Aztec heritage site. The conditions, more “Spartan” than expected according to Willie Miller, did not distract attention from the first match against Denmark. The Nordics, brilliant in Europe, showed their efficiency: Preben Elkjaer Larsen scored the only goal of the match and deprived Scotland of a better start.

Image

The second match pitted the Scots against West Germany, the tournament's ultimate finalists. Gordon Strachan gave Scotland an early advantage, in a match played under a blazing midday sun; but the Germans reversed the situation and won 2-1. The extreme conditions and recovery limited Scotland's resources, and the team found themselves with their backs against the wall before the final match against Uruguay.

For this last meeting, Graeme Souness, then captain, was left on the bench due to the climate and altitude - a decision taken after deliberation by the staff. The match changed very quickly: José Batista, the Uruguayan full-back, was sent off in the first minute for a violent attack on Strachan, reducing Uruguay to ten almost the entire match. Scotland dominated but failed to convert its superiority; the final 0-0 meant the elimination of the British despite the numerical advantage.

Frustration erupted off the field: the president of the Scottish FA, Ernie Walker, told the international media that he had "found cheaters and cowards on the field" and that he felt "associated with the scum of world football", comments which almost caused a diplomatic incident.

Beyond the controversies, this World Cup leaves strong images and anecdotes which marked the protagonists: the team led by Ferguson, star players playing crazy nights in Los Angeles, the controversial absence of Alan Hansen, the withdrawal of Dalglish, the lightning expulsion of Batista and, finally, the small domestic and almost surreal episode of Alan Rough bringing home a huge hi-fi set which exploded when plugged in.

Forty years later, the Mexican campaign remains remembered as a mixture of strong emotions, sporting decisions with serious consequences and locker room stories worthy of a film.