As the Scotland international side declines it’s incredible to think that not so long ago World Cup Final appearances were taken for granted.
Every four years a player could look towards starring on what was the biggest stage of all until the Champions League changed the ground rules.
In 1973 there was genuine euphoria across the Scottish game when Willie Ormond’s side beat Czechoslovakia to reach the finals for the first time in 16 years. With Celtic on their way to 9-in-a-row the club was well represented in Ormand’s team.
For Kenny Dalglish it was to be the first of three appearances in the finals with only a fall-out with Alex Ferguson preventing him from a fourth appearance in Mexico 1986.
Through the eighties and into the nineties World Cup qualification was almost assumed, nothing much was ever achieved at the finals but at least the Tartan Army had something major to plan rather than friendly invasions of the outposts.
Unless there is a minor miracle at Wembley and over the next 18 months another batch of Celts will be watching the action in Russia from afar.
Here Video Celts takes a look at the Celtic players that reached the finals of the World Cup between 1974 and 1998- when will we see the likes again?
CLICK HERE to reveal the Celtic/Scotland XI gallery
JONATHAN GOULD
Season 1997/98 really couldn’t have been better scripted, after reporting for pre-season training at Coventry City he found himself in the Celtic side that stopped 10-in-a-row then made it to the Scotland World Cup squad.
Gould made the most of his chance and had a golden season where little went wrong. He did look like missing out on the World Cup Finals but Andy Goram dropped out after finding out Jim Leighton would be first choice with Gould happy to abandon his family holiday for a trip to France
DANNY MCGRAIN
Football – Celtic Legends v Liverpool Legends – Celtic Charity Fundraising Match – Celtic Park – 06/07 , 4/10/06
Danny McGrain – Celtic Legends
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Put in three incredible displays in Germany as Scotland returned home unbeaten from a group that contained Brazil, Yugoslavia and Zaire.
On his return he discovered that he was diabetic, one more match could have had serious consequences.
Injury robbed him of a place in Argentina four years later, maybe a favour in hindsight but he returned under Jock Stein to play in Spain 82- and another hard luck story.
TOM BOYD
Unfortunately the subject of quiz questions after scoring the winning goal, into his own net, as Brazil edged Scotland out in the opening match of France 98.
Boyd came into the international scene after the 1990 World Cup in France and played in both Euro 92 and Euro 96 as well as France 98 on route to 76 caps.
Andy Roxburgh and especially Craig Brown appreciated Boyd’s reading of the game which was especially useful in tricky fixtures away in Eastern Europe
TOSH MCKINLAY
Despite falling out of favour with Wim Jansen, Craig Brown kept the faith and took Tosh to the World Cup Finals in France.
His defensive skills and crossing ability were still fresh while some of his team-mates were running on empty.
McKinlay was a regular u-21 internationalist but it was only once he had moved to Celtic that his Scotland career took off, earning him a total of 22 caps.
PAUL MCSTAY
Was playing for Scotland sides from an early age, earning big reviews after starring in a schoolboy international at Wembley where Scotland beat England 5-4.
Scotland’s Italia 90 campaign got off to a horror star with a 1-0 defeat from Costa Rica followed by Mo Johnston and Jim Bett having a night out in town.
McStay played in all three matches but true to form Scotland tumbled out at the last stage despite four out of six third placed teams advancing.
PAUL LAMBERT
Travelled to France 98 with a Champions League winners medal among his luggage.
A regular u-21 internationalist Lambert was never considered for full international duty until his incredible move to Dortmund.
His Dortmund form ensured that he became a Scotland regular but without the structure and set up that Dortmund had his influence was lesser on the international stage.
DAVIE HAY
Without doubt one of the big stars of the 1974 campaign, alongside Billy Bremner in central midfield they bossed all three matches.
Unfortunately for Celtic fans Chelsea were so impressed that they slapped in a bid of £225,000 that the Celtic board couldn’t resist.
Injuries dogged him while at Stamford Bridge forcing him into early retirement which eventually led to him taking the manager’s job at Celtic.
CRAIG BURLEY
Had been transformed at Celtic from a full-back to a goalscoring midfielder but Craig Brown wasn’t convinced that he could fulfil that role for Scotland.
Injury to Gary McAllister forced the issue with Burley now known as the last Scot to score in the World Cup Finals with his toothless grin front age news after scoring in the 1-1 draw with Norway.
A red card followed in the 3-0 defeat from Morocco as Burley played his last match in the World Cup Finals.
DARREN JACKSON
It was a remarkable story for Jackson to make it to France where he started all in the first two matches, against Brazil and Norway, and picked up bookings which ruled him out of the third match against Morocco.
Shortly after moving to Celtic in August 97 he required brain surgery that threatened his career but he battled back into the Celtic side and the flight for France.
His full international career was late in starting but he had the complete faith of Craig Brown who knew he’d always get 100% from the former Hibs man.
KENNY DALGLISH
Pushed into a sole striking role for this team he played in all three matches in Germany.
Scotland looked on course to qualify but paid the price for only beating Zaire 2-0 while Yugoslavia took nine off the Africans and Brazil edged through 3-0.
Dalglish was largely unaffected by the shambles of Argentina four years later but his best days were behind him when he failed to shine in Spain 82.