What Scotland need to happen in the others World Cup groups to make it into knockout stage

It's going to be a nervous few days ahead for Scotland after their 3-0 defeat to Brazil.

The eight best-ranked third-placed sides from the 12 groups will go through to the round of 32, with the other four sides going out.

That leaves Scotland facing an anxious wait to see if three points with a goal difference of minus three will be sufficient to outpace at least four of the other third-placed sides, or whether this is yet another major tournament group stage exit.

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How many points third place could get in every group

Scotland need at least four teams to end up faring worse than them (Image credit: Getty Images)

Running through every single permutation would be too exhausting for anyone to handle.

Instead, here's the minimum possible points that the third-placed side in each group could end up on, and the maximum possible points - the latter of which is not pleasant reading for Scotland...

Minimum and maximum possible points to finish third in every group

Group A

Minimum: 1 point: If Mexico beat Czech Republic AND South Korea beat South Africa. A draw in either or both games would mean the third-placed side finishes with two points.

Maximum: 4 points: If Czech Republic beat Mexico.

Group B

Complete: Scotland (3 points)

Group C

Complete: Bosnia and Herzegovina (4 points)

Group D

Minimum: 3 points: If Paraguay and Australia don’t draw with one another.

Maximum: 4 points: If Paraguay and Australia draw with one another.

Group E

Minimum: 1 point: If Ivory Coast beat Curacao AND Germany beat Ecuador. A draw in either or both games would mean the third-placed side finishes with two points.

Maximum: 4 points: If Ecuador beat Germany.

Group F

Minimum: 3 points: If Japan beat Sweden.

Maximum: 4 points: If Sweden get at least a draw against Japan.

Group G

Minimum: 2 points: If New Zealand beat Belgium, and/or if Egypt beat Iran.

Maximum: 4 points: If Iran beat Egypt, and Belgium beat New Zealand.

Group H

Minimum: 2 points: If Uruguay lose to Spain.

Maximum: 4 points: If Uruguay beat Spain, and Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia don’t draw with one another.

Group I

Minimum: 1 point: If Senegal and Iraq draw with one another.

Maximum: 3 points: If Senegal and Iraq don’t draw with one another.

Group J

Minimum: 3 points: If Austria and Algeria don’t draw with one another.

Maximum: 4 points: If Austria and Algeria draw with one another.

Group K

Minimum: 2 points: If DR Congo and Uzbekistan draw with one another.

Maximum: 4 points: If DR Congo beat Uzbekistan.

Group L

Minimum: 3 points: If Croatia lose to Ghana.

Maximum: 4 points: If Croatia don’t lose to Ghana.