Scotland is now Glorious... without the Defeat!

A tale from one of the best nights of my life...

Friends, today’s post is about failure, persistence and glory.

After all, I want to use my Substack newsletter as an outlet to share life lessons and inspiration as we spin around the Universe, because what’s the point of anything, really, if not to enjoy and share.

This week’s inspiration comes from my home country, Scotland.

Spoiler alert: we are coming to the 2026 World Cup, so I am giving you fair warning right now. Prepare yourself for a tartan invasion. Mexico, Canada and the USA, I am talking to you!

In fact, in just a few days time we’ll find out exactly what cities we’ll be playing in, and I’ll be there.

A history of failure

Scotland. We are a nation that almost prides ourself on glorious defeat. Remember Braveheart? Lot’s of glory, but ultimately, defeat.

Supporting the Scottish national football team - that’s soccer to those across the pond - is no different. Few nations wear this badge as comfortably.

And if you didn’t know, football to us is everything. It’s the most popular sport by far, and it’s a dream of almost every Scottish child to see Scotland win.

To us, it’s more than just a sport. It’s part of our national identity.

Scotland at the 1998 World Cup

For three decades, we’ve watched Scotland fight, scrap, and believe - only to fall short. The last time we reached a World Cup was back in 1998. I was just a wee boy back then.

Every campaign since has been a hopeful rise, followed by a familiar heartbreak. It hurt, every single time.

We watched our team, built from a couple of genuine stars, but mostly a group of honest, hardworking players (some who barely make their club team’s bench) run out with pride. And 2026 would be the final chance for many of these players.

The 2025/2026 qualifying run felt like another lesson in heartbreak waiting to happen. Another chapter in the saga of Scotland almost making it.

But something truly remarkable happened in Glasgow. Denmark, our opponents, were favorites for automatic qualification. And to be honest, a much better team than we are.

We needed to beat them to progress to the World Cup automatically. A draw, or loss, would lead to us finishing second in our group, and being relegated to playoffs, which would see us then needing to beat big teams like Italy to progress.

Our star boy, Scott McTominay, scored a wonder goal in the opening minutes.

Denmark is the kind of opposition we’ve historically suffered against. And yet, 4–2 later, with three absolutely stunning goals and two of which scored in extra time, sent Scotland into dream land.

I wanted nothing more to be in Scotland that night. To be with my fellow countrymen and women, in the stadium or in the bars as the nation celebrated.

Teka and I had actually just landed in São Paulo, Brazil. I looked out a pub in the city called the Blue Pub, which was showing the game on big screens. Here’s a video of me, there, in the anxious final moments - celebrating alone:

@shaunvlogPoetry. Pure cinema. Art. Just football, man. But few things can bring as much joy as this. Scotland, I love you! I was tens of thousands of miles away from home, without the Tartan Army anywhere close. And yet, somehow I was also right right there in Hampden. Mexico, Canada, America - We’ll be Coming!! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #scotland #noscotlandnoparty #wellbecoming #worldcup2026 #mctominay

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In the end, it wasn’t glorious defeat. It was just glorious.

Honestly, it was one of the best moments of my life. Oh, you don’t believe me? Check this video the Scottish Football Association made of how much it meant to us Scots. It gives me goosebumps to watch this back.

@scotlandnationalteamThis one’s for you. #Scotland #SCODEN #TartanArmy #HampdenPark #fyp

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Persistence. Belief. Pride. Heart. Effort. Just Scotland.

Our unofficial slogan is: We’ll be coming.

Because when you refuse to quit, you eventually become impossible to stop.

Maybe not today.
Maybe not next year.
But someday.

For Scotland - it took 30 years. Mexico, America, Canada - save us a seat.

Because we’re coming alright. And honestly… we won’t win the World Cup. Indeed, getting past the first group stage will be very tough.

Nevertheless, just being there already feels like a trophy. And I’ll be there, so stay tuned.. because I want to make this a thing, and if we happen to be in your city, let’s make it an unforgettable party!

Shaun