So then, Steve Clarke's first job has been well achieved, Scotland have reached the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
Now it is time for them to dare to dream, with hope reaching all corners of a nation desperate to make a mark at their first World Cup in 28 years.
But while fans dream, we look at how they can perform at this World Cup and who they might play in the knockout stages.
So, without further ado, what happens if Scotland finish third, second or stun the footballing world and top the group?
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Scotland's Group C games
Sunday, June 14*: Scotland vs. Haiti (2 a.m., Boston)
Friday, June 19: Scotland vs. Morocco (11 p.m., Boston)
Wednesday, June 24: Scotland vs. Brazil (11 p.m., Miami)
*Takes place on Saturday, June 13 locally
Scotland have been drawn in a group that, due to France, Norway and Senegal being put in Group I together, cannot be called the toughest group, but it is certainly going to be a challenge.
Clarke's men will have to take on five-time world champions Brazil, as well as controversially-crowned AFCON champions Morocco, who reached the semifinals in 2022.
Bizarrely, the last time Scotland were at the World Cup in France, 28 years ago, they were also drawn in a group alongside Brazil and Morocco, losing both matches.
The fact Scotland have to face those two teams, ranked sixth and eighth in the world respectively, puts added importance on their match with minnows Haiti.
Win that, and win it comfortably, and Scotland will have every chance of making history and reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
Lose or draw, and the World Cup dream may be over before it really began.
What happens if Scotland finish third in the group?
Round of 32
Scotland vs. France/Germany/Mexico
After being drawn alongside two of the top 10 sides in world football, Scotland's most realistic chance of advancing to the knockout stages is probably as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
With the World Cup expanding from the traditional 32 teams to 48, there will now be a round-of-32 as the first knockout round.
And this is where it gets extremely complicated when plotting permutations.
So complicated in fact, that there are 495 possible combinations in which a group table topper can face a third-place side.
Scotland themselves are in Group C and that means they could face the group winner from Group A, E and I, if of course, they finish among the top eight third place teams.
That would likely see them face either Mexico, Germany or France.
Those games would either take place on Monday, June 29 or Tuesday, June 30 in Boston, New Jersey or Mexico City.
What would happen next if Scotland advance beyond that?
If Scotland can spring the surprise of all surprises and navigate their way past one of the tournament big boys, they will come up against ... one of the other tournament big boys.
The prize for beating either France or Germany would likely be a clash against ... either France or Germany or another third-place team if they too can cause a shock.
If drawn against Mexico and successful, then it could be a clash against the auld enemy, with Scotland possibly facing England in the round-of-16.
If they can keep up their run of shocks and advance into the quarterfinal, then it will likely be the Netherlands or a second meeting with Brazil, before either taking on Spain, Portugal or Argentina in the semifinal and final to pull off one of sports' most stunning tournament victories.
If Scotland come second in the group stage, does it get easier?
Were Scotland to punch above their weight and claim an impressive win over either Morocco or Brazil, they would almost certainly finish second in the group, assuming they beat Haiti and lose their other match.
This would see them face the winner of Group F in the round-of-32, which one would assume will be the Netherlands.
Win that and they would then face the runner-up from either Group A or B, which could obviously be any of eight teams, with Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Czechia forming Group A and Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B.
If you had to give a prediction there, it's fair to say it will be Czechia against Canada as the two runner-ups and so let's say that Scotland would face Czechia.
From there, it looks familiar to finishing third, with Scotland provisionally facing France in the quarterfinals, Spain in the semifinals and then one of England, Brazil, Portugal and Argentina in the final.
What if Scotland top their group?
Not to sound condescending, but if Scotland are to pull of what would be one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history and top a group that consists of Brazil and Morocco, then things are, on paper at least, easier until the quarterfinals.
The winner of group C will face the runner-up from group F, which would likely be either Japan or Sweden, assuming the Dutch win their group.
Advance past either of those teams and it would be the runner-up from Group E or Group I in the round-of-16, which one would assume would be either Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Senegal or Norway.
If Scotland can keep up what would by this point be an incredible campaign, they would again face England.
Beyond that, it would likely be a match against either Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal or Lionel Messi's Argentina in the semifinal, and then a clash with either France or Spain in the final.
