Shaun Maloney more determined than ever to end Scotland's barren run after Euro 2016 heartache

Just four days later, he was left devastated once again as his team lost the Scottish title on goal difference to their Old Firm rivals Rangers in the last league match of the season.

The attacking midfielder was also distraught as Wigan were relegated from the Premier League in England two years ago – the week after they had beaten Manchester City to lift the FA Cup.

Yet, the 32-year-old is in no doubt, none at all, about what the most painful moment of his playing days has been to date.

The goal which Scotland conceded to Poland in the fourth minute of injury-time at Hampden last Thursday night killed off their hopes of making it through to the Euro 2016.

To make what was an already cruel denouement even worse for Maloney, he was the player who was beaten to the ball by Robert Lewandowski as it spun across the face of goal.

“I think for an individual moment I would probably say, yeah, it was the worst ever,” he said as he looked back on a campaign which promised so much, but, ultimately, delivered nothing.

“I have lost leagues on the final day, I have been relegated as part of a team, but for an actual individual moment it was heartbreaking. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that feeling as I was lying there in the back of the net.

“It felt as if the world went into slow motion when that ball hit the post. I’d imagine that it was the same for everyone in the stadium - the feeling of utter despair ran through the players and everyone watching.

“It was literally his leg over my leg. It was surreal. We’ve had it before where these inches in games make such a huge difference.”

Maloney, though, has stressed he will use that experience as motivation when Scotland get their bid to reach the World Cup in Russia in 2018 up and running with an away game against Malta in September next year.

The Hull City man, who scored his fifth goal in Group D in the resounding 6-0 win over Gibraltar at the Estadio Algarve on Sunday, has no intention of retiring from international football any time soon.

The 44-times capped player is as determined as ever, possibly even more determined, to help his country end an extended absence from the finals of a major tournament that now stretches back 17 years.

The vocal backing the national team received from the 10,000-strong Tartan Army in Portugal at the weekend, despite their inability to secure even a play-off place, touched Maloney and his team mates.

“I absolutely love playing for Scotland and moments like that against Poland can be a motivating factor down the line,” he said.

“To score for your country is always a proud moment, but it was a strange sort of feeling. We knew we had to put on a certain performance which we did, but there is obviously still a lot of hurt around the squad that I think will last for many days and many months.

“The performance against Gibraltar was very good considering what had happened in the previous few days. I thought the players were excellent. The people who came to support us in what was a dead rubber genuinely gave us a huge lift. When we saw the people who had gone out of their way to come and watch us it was pretty inspiring really.

“Hearing the crowd in Faro is another reason to get yourself up in the morning. There was definitely a tinge of sadness in Portugal. We couldn’t give the fans a successful qualifying campaign. Yet they still reacted like that. I think they can see that the squad got very, very close this time.

“We came up short in our group, but it wasn’t through any lack of trying. I think we’re starting to bridge the quality divide. That’s what it feels like. We’re obviously not quite there, but we’re certainly closer than we have been in recent years.”

Maloney is one of a host of players who have flourished since Gordon Strachan was appointed over two years ago and believes our chances of successfully negotiating Group F games against England, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania and Malta will be increased greatly if the manager decides to stay.

Asked if he thought Strachan remaining in charge would increase Scotland’s chances of making it to the World Cup, he said: “I would say so. Like everyone else I’ve listened to some very respected people, like the greatest Scottish player we’ve had, Mr Dalglish. We’d all love him to stay.

“But he’s going to make the decision and then we’ll find out. Everyone in that dressing room would be very positive about him staying but in football you’re never quite sure.”

Scotland is the only one of the four British nations not to make it through to the European Championship finals in France next summer; England, Northern Ireland, for the first time in their history, and Wales, who had also never qualified before, will all be there.

Maloney, who plies his trade down south with Hull, confessed it would be hard to stay at home watch them in action on television.

“At the moment it feels as though every other nation is having a seminal moment in their football history and we’ve got the pain – the real pain – of not making it,” he said.

“There will come a time nearer the tournament when we’re going to have to be honest and wish the Welsh and Irish all the best. England will go in as one of the stronger sides and playing football down there you obviously have to respect their national side.”