SCOTLAND have not qualified for a World Cup Finals since 1998, but in the 1982 tournament in Spain they were involved in a high-scoring match against New Zealand ...

J. MARTIN (Glasgow) - What was Scotland's biggest victory in a World Cup Finals tournament.

This was on June 15, 1982, in Spain, when Scotland beat New Zealand 5-2 in their opening match of the tournament.

At half-time Scotland led 3-0 but in the second half New Zealand hit back with two goals to make it 3-2. However, Scotland recovered and added two goals to make the final result 5-2.

The goalscorers were Dalglish,Wark (2), Robertson and Archibald and the attendance was 20,000.

We then lost 4-1 to Brazil and drew 2-2 with the USSR, and did not progress to the next stage.

TARTAN TAM (Duntocher) - I know that Scotland have qualified eight times for the World Cup Finals, and have never progressed from the group stages. Is this a record and, if so, which other nation(s) comes closest to this rather unwelcome statistic?

It is, indeed, a record. Scotland qualified for the World Cup Finals in 1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1998, and, as you say, failed to progress from the group stages or first round on each occasion. No country comes anywhere close to Scotland's record.

Bulgaria had five unsuccessful attempts at escaping the group stage in 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974 and 1986, before finally succeeding in 1994 when they eventually reached the semi-finals. Tunisia have had four unsuccessful attempts.

D. ANDREWS (Glasgow) - In the 1998 World Cup Finals, if Scotland had beaten Morocco in the last game of the section would they have progressed to the next stage?

No, they would not. Going into the last game, Brazil had six points, Norway two points, with Morocco and Scotland on one point each.

Norway beat Brazil 2-1 to finish with five points and, if Scotland had beaten Morocco, they would only have had four points.

As it turned out, Morocco beat Scotland 3-0 which meant Scotland finished bottom of the section with only one point.

This meant that Brazil topped the section with six points followed by Norway five points, Morocco four points and then Scotland with one point.

PAUL (Renfrew) - I was pretty certain that Scotland qualified for the 1950 World Cup Finals in Brazil, however my friends say Scotland did qualify but decided to withdraw from the competition. Is this true? And if it is…why?

The 1950 World Cup Finals in Brazil was the first since 1938 because of the Second World War.

The British nations were invited to take part, to which they all decided that the Home Internationals Championships would be used as a qualifying group for the World Cup.

The countries who would finish first and second would be allowed to go, however the Scottish FA said before the Championships Scotland would only go to Brazil should they finish top of the group.

England finished first with Scotland finished second and despite Scotland having qualified for Brazil, the Scottish FA stuck to their initial objective and withdrew from the competition.

GORDON ROSS (via email) - Belgium are one of my tips for the World Cup. I was reading recently that they took part in the first-ever competition. Could you tell me how they fared?

Belgium were one of 13 countries who attended the first tournament in Uraguay in 1930.

Belgium were drawn in a three-team group with USA and Paraguay in the initial stages.

They didn't gain a point or even score a goal in the two matches they played, losing 3-0 to USA and 1-0 to Paraguay.

BIG STU (Bearsden) - Can you tell me who scored Scotland's first goal in a World Cup Finals' tournament proper?

That honour goes to Jimmy Murray of Hearts, who scored in the 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia in Sweden in 1958.