Big players must step up as Scotland pursue history against Brazil

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Big players must step up as Scotland pursue history against BrazilImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Will Scotland midfielders John McGinn and Scott McTominay find a way to hurt Brazil? ByTom English Scotland's chief sports writerPublished2 hours agoIn the beginning, it was Pele and Jairzinho, Gerson and Amarildo, the Brazilian boys of 1966, still champions of the world, if only for another month. These were the icons that Scotland faced the first time they played the Selecao, 60 years and 10 games ago.

Stevie Chalmers, a Lisbon Lion in waiting, opened the scoring after a minute. What Steve Clarke would give for more of the same on Wednesday in the blistering humidity of Miami. Scotland's game of the century is nigh.

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There's been pain against Brazil. The forlorn look on Tom Boyd's face in the 73rd minute in Paris in 1998 as the ball ricochets off his right arm and into the back of his own net; the goal that settled it - 2-1 to the South Americans. The head-in-hands shock of the great Billy Bremner when he fails to score from a few yards out just after the hour mark in Frankfurt in 1974 - 0-0, undefeated Scotland going home on goal difference.

The goal difference spectre looms large again now, more than a half a century later. Scotland know they don't need to win and don't even necessarily need to draw to get themselves into the knockout round for the first time in their history. Getting a point, or three, is the object of the exercise and their total focus, but a battling 1-0 loss, a rough 2-0 defeat, or even a desperate chasing and more goals conceded might still see them advance.

Scotland have coping strategy for weather delays Published12 hours agoWhy Scotland can't play for draw or narrow defeat against Brazil Published1 day agoDoes it matter if Scotland lose and still make history? Published2 days agoIt's the essential weirdness of the situation they're in. Andy Robertson said on Tuesday that he didn't give a damn about permutations, but you can bet he knows all the detail that he needs to know.

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His obsession, naturally, is on getting the kind of result that powers Scotland into the next round. You don't get to his level if you're looking on defeat as some kind of victory, which, of course, it could be in the grand scheme of things. Hence, the barmy nature of the world they're living in right now.

It's been 15 years since Scotland played Brazil and 28 years since they played them in a World Cup. If you're very, very lucky you get to face those yellow jerseys once in your career, so best make the most of it. Scotland cannot be gung-ho, but they have to be more threatening than they have been in their two games in America and in the six that went before in their last two European Championship campaigns.

Against Morocco, they put in a committed second-half performance, they applied pressure and had moments.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.