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Scotland’s chances of making it to the knockout stage of the World Cup hinge on their crucial encounter with Brazil. Steve Clarke’s men currently occupy the third spot in Group C and remain in contention to progress, provided they avoid a heavy defeat tonight. Their hopes were bolstered by a 1-0 victory over Haiti ten days ago.

On the other hand, Brazil sit atop the group standings after a 1-1 draw with Morocco in their opening fixture and a convincing 3-0 win against Haiti in their previous outing, with goals from Matheus Cunha and Vinicius Junior. Carlo Ancelotti’s squad will aim to replicate that dominant display in Miami this evening, which would likely secure their position as group leaders unless Morocco deliver an exceptional result against Haiti.

The two teams have met five times in the past, but Scotland are yet to taste victory over the South American giants. Their best result remains a 0-0 draw at the 1974 World Cup, some 52 years ago. Since then, Brazil have recorded four consecutive wins over Scotland — 4-1 at the 1982 World Cup, 1-0 at Italia 90, 2-1 in France during the 1998 World Cup, and 2-0 in a 2011 friendly. It’s a history rich in encounters but not in success for the Scots. Could tonight mark a change in fortunes?

Despite recognising the magnitude of the challenge, Clarke’s side represents the strongest Scotland team of this century. They qualified for the tournament ahead of Denmark and earned their first World Cup win since 1998 with that triumph over Haiti. However, Brazil are expected to approach this fixture as a routine contest in which they aim to secure three points and finish the group on top.

Even a defeat might not entirely end Scotland’s campaign, as they could still advance to the knockout phase for the first time in their history if they rank among the eight best third-placed teams across the groups.

The match kicks off at 11 pm BST, with live coverage available on BBC One for viewers in the United Kingdom.