Scottish Men’s National Football Team (World Cup Qualification)
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests with respect to the Scottish Football Association and FIFA.
I am delighted and thrilled to ask my question.
To ask the Scottish Government how it will recognise the Scottish men’s national team qualifying for the world cup for the first time since 1998.
Presiding Officer, I thank you and Douglas Ross for facilitating the opportunity for Parliament to come together to celebrate a momentous achievement on a momentous night. It has been a long time coming. I was 12 years old when Scotland last qualified for a world cup, and the family members of many colleagues across the Parliament will not have witnessed Scotland’s men’s team being at a world cup. It is a remarkable achievement, and one that we must celebrate.
I know that my colleague Ms Todd was jumping in the stands last night, and I was jumping about my living room with my son. Others will have been in pubs or at the game. The First Minister was able to pass on his congratulations in person to the chief executive of the SFA, Ian Maxwell, and to its president, Mike Mulraney.
I expect that the First Minister will also be writing to Steve Clarke and Andy Robertson about a reception at Bute house to ensure that the achievement is properly marked.
That is nothing less than they deserve. It is important to say that, when we apply for an urgent question, we have to explain why it is topical and urgent. I simply put in a note that the Parliament has never had the opportunity to discuss Scotland getting to the world cup finals, because, since devolution, we have never done so. That all changed after 98 incredible, breathtaking, nerve-wracking and emotional minutes last night. Steve Clarke and his squad guaranteed not just their place at the world cup finals next year but their place in the heart of every tartan army fan, by ending that 27-year wait for Scotland to return to the greatest sporting event in the world.
The match was bookended by outstanding goals. There was an overhead kick from Scott McTominay, when he defied gravity to fire the ball into the back of the net after three minutes; and, in the 98th minute, Kenny McLean scored from his own half with the final kick of the game to send Hampden into euphoria and Scotland into the world cup finals.
I am grateful to hear what the First Minister is doing about inviting the squad to Bute house. How can we further celebrate these heroes on and off the pitch, and how can we capture all that enthusiasm and filter it down into grass-roots football to ensure that we develop the next generation of talented footballers to carry on this great tradition and to guarantee that everyone, no matter their background, can get involved in the beautiful game?
Douglas Ross is absolutely right. The first point that he made was about this being the first time since devolution that Scotland’s men’s team has qualified for a world cup. The Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy and Sport commented to me earlier that she is the first Scottish sports minister to see Scotland’s men’s team qualify in person, which is a remarkable thing to consider, given the longevity of the Parliament.
The back and forth of the game last night was an emotional rollercoaster for all of us. There was something on social media that showed—among the reams of incredible output that came from the Scotland men’s team, the BBC and various other outlets—the seesaw nature of the game, with Scotland qualifying at three minutes and Denmark qualifying at 56 minutes. The back and forth of the game encapsulated what it is to be a tartan army supporter and what we have lived through over the past 28 years, waiting for this moment.
We are considering what further steps we can take to mark the team’s qualification and to build on it for grass-roots sport. Like Douglas Ross, I have an involvement that I must declare: as a volunteer youth coach, I will be at my son’s football club this evening. I have no doubt that the enthusiasm from young boys and girls who see their sports team progress so well will inspire people to take up the sport and continue their endeavours to become the next Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay or Kenny McLean, who did so well last night in raising their game, performing for their nation and delivering something so momentous.
I will be honest: I submitted this question less interested in the Government’s answers and more to give all the fans an opportunity to speak about their highlights from last night—there were so many.
The cabinet secretary is absolutely right to highlight the tartan army. “No Scotland, no party” rang out at Hampden and across Scotland last night—we heard it loud and clear. Although the manager and the players deserve all the credit for doing the job on the pitch, making outstanding saves and scoring incredible goals to qualify as the winners of group C for the world cup finals, they have been supported every step of the way by the tartan army, who kicked every ball and headed every pass with the players.
Scotland fans have experienced the lowest of the lows and, last night, the highest of the highs. I am in no doubt that the world cup in 2026 will be the better for having the tartan army and the Scottish team there. Many lucky fans will get to go to the USA, Canada and Mexico, but many will remain here at home. What work will the Scottish Government do to consider flexibility around licensing laws to ensure that those who remain in Scotland can enjoy the atmosphere of the world cup and cheer on the team, no matter the time of the kick-offs and the matches, and to give a much-needed boost to our pubs in Scotland, which will also do well out of the tournament?
I have heard some colleagues whispering, “What about a recess for the Parliament?” In all seriousness, Douglas Ross is absolutely right. Today is a day for celebration and one on which we rightly mark the incredible achievements of Steve Clarke, Andy Robertson, his team and all those who made yesterday happen, including the tartan army, given the remarkable support that it provides. Everywhere they go, the tartan army makes local communities better by raising and providing funds to the communities that they travel to. They bring an incredible spirit, which people in Germany were able to see in evidence last summer. I know that they will do the same and do our nation proud as they go to support Scotland wherever we go in Mexico, Canada or the United States.
We will give consideration to the wider points that Douglas Ross raised about what can be done domestically to support people who are here, supporting the tartan army, and to make sure that we make the absolute most of this remarkable opportunity.
I advise members that there is quite a bit of interest in asking questions. I have allowed a bit of latitude, because I am sure that everybody wishes to relive the match in all its splendour. I will seek to take questions from as many individual back-bench members as I can, but they will need to be brief, and the cabinet secretary will need to be brief in replying.
As well as the Scottish Government being asked what it can do to celebrate this success, it is incumbent on the Parliament to look at that, too. I do not know whether the cabinet secretary is aware of my motion for debate, which has already attracted cross-party support—although not the support of Douglas Ross as yet, so I look forward to him signing it. That debate will give Parliament as a whole the chance to discuss and celebrate our qualifying for the world cup. We should also note Kieran Tierney’s fantastic goal, which has not been mentioned. [Applause.]
Some time ago, I made a suggestion to Mike Mulraney, who is the president of the SFA, that the oldest football in the world, which is housed at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum and was discovered in the roof well of Mary, Queen of Scots’ bedchamber, could be taken to an international competition. It was taken to the world cup in Hamburg previously. I wonder whether the cabinet secretary would consider that. It underlines the point that football, in its present guise, started in Scotland.
Absolutely. Keith Brown makes two very strong points. The first is on the importance of Parliament coming together. We have started to do that today, but debating his motion would give us a further opportunity to debate and celebrate this remarkable achievement.
The second is on Scotland’s contribution to footballing history. Keith Brown spoke about the world’s oldest football. My constituency hosted the first-ever penalty to be taken. As Scotland is going to the world cup, we must ensure that we make known internationally our role in the development of football across the world.
I will be brief, Presiding Officer, because I was losing my voice last night.
I join other members not just in congratulating Steve Clarke and his coaching staff, Andy Robertson and all the players on their historic achievement, but in thanking them for making history and for the memories that they will make for us next year. That achievement could act as a huge catalyst for participation in our national game.
What engagement will the Scottish Government have with consulates and the United Kingdom Government to support as many of the tartan army as possible in attending the games next year? As has been said, if there is no Scotland, there is no party.
Does the cabinet secretary agree with members on the Labour benches that the least that we can do is to recognise the achievements of Steve Clarke by awarding him a knighthood and making him Sir Steve Clarke for his services to football and to the country?
On the latter point, Neil Bibby will know that that is beyond my responsibilities. However, Steve Clarke deserves significant recognition. He has unquestionably become our most successful international men’s manager. He has delivered a world cup and two European football championship qualifications. His success rate as the longest-serving international men’s manager is remarkable, so he deserves due recognition. In whatever form that comes, we should celebrate it.
We are already actively considering how we can support and facilitate the maximum possible attendance at the world cup. In answer to the questions from Douglas Ross and Keith Brown, I said that we are also considering how we can provide support domestically. I would be happy to work not just with our consulates in Scotland but with the UK Government on doing just that.
I watched the football last night in the company of Kenny Gibson, Liam McArthur and Stuart McMillan. Who would have guessed that beneath the calm, suave and sophisticated air that Kenny Gibson exudes beats the heart of an absolute maniac?
The way in which we celebrated the win last night shows that sport is a huge unifier that can engage a nation. How will the cabinet secretary ensure that this world cup leaves a full legacy and has a positive influence on participation and overall health?
Brian Whittle will know, given our athletics history—his more successful than mine—that I absolutely understand the power of sport to change lives and bring people together. That is similarly evidenced by our sports minister, Maree Todd.
We must ensure that, next summer, both the Commonwealth games and the men’s world cup leave a lasting legacy that increases participation, and that we maximise the commercial, economic and tourism opportunities. We must continue to show ourselves in the best possible light internationally, as the tartan army always does at international games and tournaments. I am more than happy to continue to work on a cross-party basis to do that.
We should win football matches more often, because I have never seen the chamber so united. People are even agreeing with Douglas Ross—that is how extreme it is.
Alex Cole-Hamilton wants to have a party, so I, too, want to agree with Douglas Ross about the licensing arrangements and having big parties with huge screens in different parts of the country so that people who cannot get across the Atlantic can enjoy the games back here. Will the cabinet secretary seriously consider that?
Absolutely. We will need to work with our local authority and SFA partners to look at what we can do to maximise people’s ability to engage with what will be a remarkable sporting summer to come next year, with the Commonwealth games and the world cup. Given the incredible endeavours of our Scotland men’s team in getting there, we will want to ensure that we have some kind of fan zone or facility so that people can—I hope—celebrate Scotland bringing the trophy home.
On that happy note, I will have to bring the urgent question to a close, because I need to protect the rest of the afternoon’s business. I apologise to the members whom I was unable to call. There will be a short pause before we move on to the next item of business.
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