It looked a distant prospect when Scotland went down with a whimper in Dublin back in June.
And yet, here we are, ready to mix it with the very best at the very top of the Nations League. A hard-earned goalless draw with Ukraine in Krakow on Tuesday night ensures Steve Clarke 's side have won Group B1 and are now heading for Group A and the potential for glory.
Three big results, and three very different performances, have ensured a wholesale turnaround from losing the World Cup 2022 play-off to the Ukrainians back in June, a result that was then followed by a thumping from Ireland. But Clarke has shown he knows how to turn a difficult situation around and he's proven so once again in this latest international break. So, aside from a guaranteed Euro 2024 play-off place and a place in pot 2 of the qualifying draw, what do Scotland get for moving up in the Nations League? Well, firstly, there's a bit of a wait until the big boys playground opens again - the current tournament is set to holds its Finals in June 2023 before the next iteration starts a year later in March 2024.
Three other sides have moved up - Israel, Bosnia and Serbia - and due to the seeding system, Scotland won't be drawn against either of those three. Here, Record Sport Online compiles the teams they could be drawn against.
Pot 1
Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Italy
Pot 2
Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, Hungary
Pot 3
Switzerland, Germany, Poland, France
