The Maracana beat the beach for George
The Scotland players can now enjoy a summer break after spending the last week playing in Peru and Mexico.
A few members of the squad know they’re probably unlikely to feature for the national side again.
It was an inexperienced group that travelled after manager Alex McLeish was hit with a host of call-offs.
Lewis Stevenson of Hibs played against Peru but then left to go on a pre-booked holiday.
Morton’s George Anderson was given a little more notice about his Scotland selection in 1972, and was able to cancel his break.
The defender was taken to Brazil for the Independence Cup, also known as the Mini World Cup.
Scotland boss Tommy Docherty was a little light on defenders after the withdrawal of Rangers’ Sandy Jardine and Pat Stanton of Hibs.
He was also denied the services of Stanton’s team-mate, John Brownlie, and Dundee’s Iain Phillip.
George didn’t hesitate for a second when asked to travel.
He recalled: “I had been captaining the Scotland Under-18 team in Spain, and when I came back, I got a call offering me the chance to go with the full team.
“I didn’t need to be asked twice. I would have paid to train with my hero, Denis Law.
“It meant getting time off work and cancelling a holiday in Great Yarmouth with my girlfriend.
“Fortunately, she was very understanding, and later became my wife.
“The famous players like Billy Bremner and George Graham were very welcoming.
“They didn’t seem to regard me as some young upstart.”
George would have loved a couple of minutes on the pitch in Brazil.
He went on: “I wasn’t available for the first game against Yugoslavia, in Belo Horizonte, because I caught a bug from the air conditioning.
“I made t h e b e n c h w h e n we faced Czechoslovakia and Brazil.
“I was hoping I might get 10 minutes against the Brazilians at the Maracana, but it was a close game that we lost 1-0.
“They had famous names like Jairzinho and Rivellino playing.
“To watch them in front of 130,000 fans was incredible.”
George’s time with Scotland might have led to a big-money move to England.
He said: “I heard Tommy Docherty was keen to sign me and Partick Thistle’s Alex Forsyth when he’d moved to Manchester United.
“I don’t know if it’s true, but I was told they only had the money for one player, and went with Alex.
“I came much closer to a move when I flew south for three days training with Birmingham City.
“The manager, Willie Bell, however, was sacked while I was in the air and replaced by Sir Alf Ramsey.”
George, now 64, has no regrets about his football career.
He said: “People mention the things I nearly did, but I was delighted with what I achieved.
“I had to get permission to get out of school to make my debut for Morton against Celtic when I was 16.
“I spent 12 years over two spells with the club, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame last year.
“That meant a lot to me because I was a local lad who supported the club.
“My Scotland career wasn’t helped by Jim Holton coming on the scene.
“We played together for the Under-23s. I was sweeper and picked players off the ground after they’d tangled with Jim!
“I still have the white short-sleeved Scotland jersey they gave us for Brazil, and a certificate we got for taking part in the tournament.
“The dark-blue shirt I got is still in action. My daughter wears it to Scotland games.”