Scotland picks Pocognoli as new national team coach

Sebastien Pocognoli is now the head coach of the Scotland national team. He was announced as the new manager on Sunday. Pocognoli takes over from Steve Clarke, who stepped down after the World Cup.

The Scottish Football Association revealed that the 39-year-old Belgian has signed a two-year contract. He will lead Scotland in the upcoming UEFA Nations League.

Pocognoli, who previously coached Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco, replaces Clarke after he resigned. Scotland was eliminated in the group stage of the World Cup in June.

As a former Belgium international, Pocognoli had a successful first season as a head coach. He guided Union to the 2024/25 Belgian title.

Pocognoli called his new role an “honour.” He shared his excitement on the SFA website, saying, “When I first heard of the interest, I was immediately excited about the opportunity.”

He also spoke about Scotland’s passionate fans. He said, “Scotland’s supporters are famous for their passion, most recently at the World Cup in the USA, and I have experienced it myself as a player for Belgium when we played in 2013.”

Pocognoli is determined to give the fans a team they can be proud of. He added, “Along with my coaching staff, I will do everything I can to give them a team to be proud of and build on the success that has been achieved already by my predecessor.”