Ryan Christie has admitted he was left gutted by Scotland's group-stage exit at the World Cup, but insists the experience has only sharpened his appetite to compete at the highest level of international football.

The Bournemouth midfielder, who earned his 71st cap at the tournament, featured in all three of Scotland's group matches as they ended a 28-year wait to appear at football's biggest stage — only to fall at the first hurdle once again.

Christie started the 1-0 defeat to Morocco and came off the bench in the 1-0 victory over Haiti and the 3-0 loss to Brazil that confirmed Scotland's elimination. Despite the disappointment, the 31-year-old is keen to build on the experience rather than dwell on what might have been.

Electric atmosphere, bitter aftermath

Speaking to BBC Scotland, Christie was candid about the emotional rollercoaster of the tournament. "It was an amazing experience," he said. "Seeing all the Scotland fans over there was incredible. The atmosphere was electric."

The high of seeing Tartan Army supporters in such numbers was tempered by the reality of another group-stage departure. "The first 72 hours afterwards, you feel a bit gutted because we were desperate to get out of the group and it wasn't to be," Christie admitted. "But I had such a good time with that bunch of boys that have been together for so many years now."

That togetherness, built across years of qualifying campaigns and two previous European Championship appearances, clearly means a great deal to Christie. But rather than looking back, his focus has shifted quickly to what comes next. "When you finish, you're just hungry for more. I'm desperate now to go to more tournaments, just thinking when's the next one?"

Euro 2028 firmly in sight

The next realistic target is Euro 2028, which is co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Crucially, all four home nations still need to qualify through the traditional group stage, though two automatic spots are held in reserve for host nations that fail to come through the qualifying rounds. That safety net gives Scotland genuine confidence of being involved.

Christie, who recently signed a new three-year contract with Bournemouth, framed the World Cup as a milestone rather than a ceiling. "We were determined to qualify for a World Cup and we ticked that box," he said. "Now we really want to go to a tournament and make an impression. It's the next step for our nation."

Emotional farewell from Steve Clarke

Adding to the turbulence of Scotland's exit was the resignation of head coach Steve Clarke, who stepped down as soon as elimination was confirmed — despite having signed a four-year contract extension before the tournament began.

Clarke led Scotland to Euro 2020, Euro 2024 and this summer's World Cup, and Christie described his announcement to the squad as deeply moving. "He called a meeting, which we thought was to draw a line under the tournament," Christie recalled. "Naturally, everyone was shell-shocked and gutted. He's done so much for us and obviously goes down as a Scotland legend. He'll be missed."

With a new manager now needed to take Scotland forward, Christie remains optimistic. "I'm looking forward to seeing who comes in and hopefully we can go on a good run again," he said.

Few players have embodied Scotland's resurgence under Clarke more consistently than Christie, and his determination to push on suggests the national side's ambitions are far from extinguished. The group stage was painful — but for Christie, it was also the beginning of something.

Frequently asked

How did Scotland do at the 2026 World Cup?
Scotland were eliminated in the group stage, picking up one win — a 1-0 victory over Haiti — alongside defeats to Morocco (1-0) and Brazil (3-0). It was their first World Cup appearance in 28 years.
Will Scotland automatically qualify for Euro 2028?
Not automatically. Scotland are co-hosts of Euro 2028 alongside England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, but all four nations must still go through qualifying. However, two automatic spots are reserved for host nations that do not qualify via the group stage.
Why did Steve Clarke leave as Scotland manager?
Steve Clarke resigned as Scotland head coach immediately after their elimination from the 2026 World Cup group stage, despite having signed a four-year contract extension before the tournament.