Scotland’s Wild World Cup Moment Was Built By Collective Will And Individual Brilliance | Ewan Murray

It was not a clip for calm reflection. Kenny McLean had conscionable lobbed Kasper Schmeichel from nan halfway line. Limbs. Unbridled, unfiltered joy.

On 1 outrageous Hampden Park night McLean, Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay relegated Archie Gemmill’s stupendous solo effort against nan Netherlands successful 1978 to simply nan 4th champion Scotland extremity of each time. Zinedine Zidane’s volley for Real Madrid successful Hampden’s Champions League last of 2002? A specified tap-in by comparison. What was produced by McTominay, Tierney and McLean will unrecorded agelong successful nan memories of nan children and grandchildren of anybody who was successful attendance connected Tuesday night. They telephone McLean “the Mayor of Norwich”. He whitethorn arsenic good now beryllium nan politician of Nairn, North Berwick and Newtongrange.

Some reason world shot has mislaid relevance amid nine obsessions and nan attached firm boom. Scotland person proved precisely nan opposite. The spot of emotion linked to their accomplishment has been truthful incredibly striking. Scotland cares profoundly and passionately astir its shot team. The state is proud to beryllium afforded nan position a World Cup will bring. The 2026 type will beryllium enriched by Scottish involvement; surely disconnected nan section if not connected it.

That Scotland scored 4 goals against Denmark, fto unsocial 3 of specified singular quality, was truthful brilliantly baffling that it summed up their qualifying campaign. Having endured a hold since 1998 to return to world football’s apical table, nan Scots wished simplicity was overrated. Steve Clarke has nary origin to attraction astir really it was done. He is now nan country’s finest manager, courtesy of 3 tourney places successful 4 attempts. Only a playoff has denied Clarke a cleanable sweep.

The stoical, awkward 62-year-old has made world headway astatine a clip erstwhile location was morganatic questioning of nan assets astatine his disposal. Scotland saw disconnected Denmark pinch a 42-year-old goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, who is not moreover nan first prime astatine his club. It is not being astatine each disrespectful to constituent retired a raft of moreover mediocre nationalist sides would instrumentality pinch their ain options astatine centre-back aliases centre-forward alternatively than waste and acquisition pinch Clarke. This is alternatively a squad built connected a mighty spirit, a ferocious activity ethic that should typify what Scotland stands for and a refusal to judge being beaten. Had Scotland’s people of 2025 grounded to suffice for nan World Cup, shoulders would person been shrugged. After all, that is what each Scotland teams person done for adjacent to 3 decades. Instead, this group was utterly adamant they would break nan mould.

Scotland entered qualifying pinch rumblings of discontent successful nan background. Heavy location losses to Greece and Iceland saw to that. Yet nan commencement was positive, a good showing successful nan scoreless draw pinch nan Danes successful Copenhagen preceding nan straightforward success complete Belarus. From location it sewage messy. Scotland were unconvincing erstwhile defeating Greece successful Glasgow and downright atrocious erstwhile squeezing past Belarus. Clarke mislaid his temper done fearfulness his players were going to discarded a aureate chance.

Scotland's caput coach Steve Clarke celebrates pinch his unit astatine nan last whistle. Photograph: Bo Amstrup/EPA

Saturday evening successful Athens was possibly nan weirdest juncture successful Scotland’s world history. They were abject and 3 goals down earlier connection filtered done that Belarus were giving Denmark a headache to lucifer nan sickness bug that hampered Brian Riemer’s team. The Scots roared back, to nan constituent wherever they were unfortunate not to snatch a draw. That Belarus earned precisely that, against each expectation, placed Scottish destiny backmost successful their ain hands. There is simply a sense, and not a peculiarly daft one, that Greece were really nan champion squad successful Group C.

Scotland, Denmark and Hampden provided nan a sporting spectacle to move heads measurement beyond football. Denmark will feel, and pinch plentifulness justification, that they deserved astatine slightest a tie aft dominating for agelong spells. The visitors were undone, though, by nan rashness of Rasmus Kristensen which near them pinch 10 men against a squad who abruptly sensed opportunity. Denmark person grounded to hit Scotland doubly which, mixed pinch their Belarus stumble, intends they tin only apportion blasted to themselves.

Scotland’s task was made harder by nan injuries sustained by John Souttar successful nan warm-up and Ben Gannon-Doak wrong 20 minutes. McTominay, John McGinn and Andy Robertson – Scotland’s A listers – were excellent. Clarke keeps religion pinch nan 33-year-old McLean, a midfielder astatine struggling Norwich, because he trusts him implicitly.

Scotland's Kenny McLean takes purpose from nan halfway statement heavy into wounded time. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

Gordon was successful tears erstwhile contemplating nan World Cup arsenic nan culmination of his career. Tierney, who has endured a rotten clip pinch his fitness, was a left-back brought connected to play connected nan correct done necessity. The erstwhile Arsenal man would ne'er person been successful spot to blast nan Scots 3-2 up were he deployed successful his earthy position. Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson person seen highly promising careers disrupted by injuries. Lawrence Shankland’s 2024-25 was nightmarish. Lyndon Dykes was distraught erstwhile damaged ankle ligaments ruled him retired of Euro 2024. Grant Hanley felt nan request to opportunity sorry to Clarke for his show successful Greece. “I said: ‘You don’t person to apologise to me, ever, for really you play,” Clarke explained. “I cognize that each clip you spell to nan transportation you springiness everything, for illustration each different player.’” The corporate has done this but nan individual stories are fascinating. All are now entitled to revel successful what this Scotland squad has delivered.

Scottish humour – and fatalism – intends punters are already pondering World Cup conclusion to Cape Verde aliases Jordan. You person to spell backmost to 1990 for nan past clip Scotland won a crippled successful nan tournament. At nan aforesaid World Cup, Costa Rica embarrassed Andy Roxburgh’s team. Hopes and fears for 2026 tin beryllium placed connected hold. Now is nan clip to recognise a historical moment. And, of course, nan sensational mode successful which it was confirmed.