Rafa Benitez open to managing Scotland national team after World Cup assessment

Rafa Benitez, the 66-year-old managerial veteran who once orchestrated one of football’s greatest comebacks in Istanbul, says he’s open to taking charge of the Scotland national team.

The Spaniard, currently without a club after being dismissed by Greek side Panathinaikos on May 22, 2026, told talkSPORT he wouldn’t rule out the role. His exact response when asked about Scotland: “No, no, it wasn’t a no.”

From Champions League nights to Hampden Park

The Scotland vacancy opened up following Steve Clarke’s departure after the 2026 World Cup, leaving the Scottish Football Association in rebuild mode.

Benitez’s CV includes Liverpool, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Napoli, and Inter Milan. The 2005 Champions League trophy with Liverpool remains his crowning achievement, a night in Istanbul that turned a 3-0 halftime deficit against AC Milan into a victory.

His most recent chapter was considerably less glamorous. A fourth-place finish in the Greek Super League with Panathinaikos earned him a pink slip rather than a contract extension.

Benitez has never held a senior international management position. Every role on his resume has been at club level.

What to actually watch here

The Scottish Football Association hasn’t confirmed any shortlist or timeline for the appointment, and Benitez’s comments amount to not closing a door rather than walking through it.

Benitez’s openness to international management extends beyond just Scotland. His talkSPORT interview suggested a broader willingness to explore national team roles, which means the SFA could find itself in a competitive process rather than a one-candidate situation.

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