Classic England v Scotland matches

The oldest rivalry in football will be reignited on Tuesday 12th September 2023 when Scotland will meet England for the 108th time.

It will be more than 150 years since the pair played out a goalless draw in the world's first football international at Hamilton Crescent in Glasgow, and Hampden Park will play host to the match on this occasion.

The last time the rivals faced off was at the last Euros in 2021, with that match at Wembley also finishing 0-0.

Beaten finalists at the Euros in 2021, England are 5/1 to win Euro 2024, while Scotland have won all four games in Group A in their qualifying campaign so far, with Steve Clarke's side now 5/2 to top the section. 

Here are five classic matches involving the two great adversaries.

England 9 Scotland 3 - 15th April 1961

One of the most notable England victories came five years before England won the World Cup at Wembley when they beat Scotland 9-3.

Star striker Jimmy Greaves scored a hat-trick shortly before he secured a move to Tottenham from Milan, and his new strike partner at White Hart Lane Bobby Smith netted twice against a Scotland team that contained famous names such as Billy McNeill, Dave Mackay, Denis Law and Ian St John.

Mackay scored the first Scotland goal while England skipper Johnny Haynes, who earlier that year became the first £100-a-week footballer following the abolition of the maxim wage, scored twice.

The other England scorers were future manager Bobby Robson and Blackburn winger Bryan Douglas.

Manchester United's Bobby Charlton was the only member of the starting line-up who would go on to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966.

England 2 Scotland 3 - 15th April 1967

Scotland fans were already sick about hearing about England's World Cup victory ten months earlier when they headed to Wembley and ended the Three Lions' 19-match unbeaten run.

It was enough for the Tartan Army to claim they were the world champions, although in the days before England claimed there were special circumstances as Jack Charlton played on with a broken toe, Ray Wilson suffered an ankle injury and Jimmy Greaves also suffered an injury.

Denis Law gave Scotland a 28th-minute lead and they doubled their advantage with 12 minutes remaining through Bobby Lennox, six weeks before he scored for Celtic in their 2-1 European Cup final win over Inter Milan in Lisbon. 

Geoff Hurst gave England hope with a goal six minutes remaining, but Jim McCalliog netted Scotland's third to ensure victory for the team inspired by midfielder Jim Baxter, with Jack Charlton's late goal nothing more than a consolation.

England 1 Scotland 2 - 4th June 1977

Scotland's next victory at Wembley was just as memorable as they gained revenge for the 5-1 thumping they were handed out on their previous visit and a huge Tartan Army following headed to London to cheer on Ally MacLeod's Army.

They were rewarded with a header from Gordon McQueen giving them the lead, and Kenny Dalglish was on hand to score a second after half-time.

Mick Channon netted a late penalty for Don Revie's side but, 12 months before their disappointing showing at the World Cup in Argentina, the Scottish fans invaded the pitch in delight, famously breaking a Wembley crossbar in the process.

England 2 Scotland 0 - 15th June 1996

Paul Gascoigne captured the hearts of England fans with his performances and tears at Italia 90, but his greatest moment in a Three Lions shirt came against the Auld Enemy six years later.

The Euro '96 hosts had posted an underwhelming 1-1 draw with Switzerland in their opening match and things weren't getting much better against Scotland.

Alan Shearer gave them the lead but the Scots squandered a great opportunity to equalise when David Seaman saved a Gary McAllister penalty.

The majority of the Wembley crowd was still celebrating when Darren Anderton pushed the ball forward for Gascoigne, who lifted it over Colin Henry's head and volleyed it past Andy Goram for one of the all-time great England goals.

Scotland 2 England 2 - 10th June 2017

Their subsequent meeting at the Euro 2020 finals was a mundane affair, but the previous time England and Scotland locked horns was anything but.

In the midst of a qualification campaign for the World Cup in Russia, it seemed England were on the verge of collecting three vital points when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gave them a 70th-minute lead from close range at Hampden.

However, Leigh Griffiths had other ideas and exposed England goalkeeper Joe Hart twice, scoring long-range free-kicks in the closing minutes to leave the Scots dreaming of victory.

But their hopes were dashed as Harry Kane popped up at the far post to net an equaliser three minutes into added time to spare England's blushes.