Ferguson didn’t speak to me for five months after a dodgy Coca-Cola ruined my World Cup in Mexico and I warned my lads not to make the same mistake

with Paraguay as they prepared for France 98. Asked if they are entering the lions’ den McLeish added: “We are. They are probably going to play their strongest team and give a run-out to six substitutes.

“We’re playing with a team that is not the strongest team we’ve ever put out but those players surprised us the other night in Peru.

“Some people said, ‘You would have taken 2-0 as a good result’ but when you see the goals we lost those are the decision-making moments on which we have to improve.

“I’ve been watching Scotland for the last five years. Gordon Strachan came close with some good defensive performances but we suffered a lapse now and again at crucial moments.

“I’ve suffered a couple of those in two of my three games as well. We’ve got to eradicate the errors. Our decisionmaking must be better. It’s a step up. If your decisions are wrong you are very often punished at this level.”

Scotland may never have tackled Mexico at senior level but the dark blues faced them in the Azteca in the World Youth World Cup in 1983 and won 1-0 courtesy of a goal by Steve Clarke in front of almost 87,000 fans.

McLeish added: “I’ve never been there, although big Neale Cooper was part of the last Scotland team to get a shut-out there. It’s a fantastic venue.

“I said to the players the other night, these are the best days of your lives, embrace it and go and show the world what you can do. It’s up to them to show they have what it takes.

“We know it will be difficult because of the heat and altitude. I’ll need the factor duffel coat. Hopefully we’ll be able to breathe for 90 minutes.”