A Boston police officer who delighted Scotland fans by performing keepy-uppies in the middle of a FIFA fan zone has spoken about the viral moment. The Tartan Army convinced Sergeant Connor Hardy of the Boston Police Department to show off his football skills before the Haiti match on Saturday night.
Viral Clip Shows Officer Joining the Fun
The clip, viewed thousands of times, captures Sgt Hardy wading into a crowd of supporters at the FIFA Fan Festival at Boston City Hall Plaza. He keeps the ball in the air for several rounds before dropping it, and is immediately embraced by cheering Scotland fans in kilts and strips who jump in celebration.
Officer Denies Being 'Fun Police'
Speaking after the clip spread worldwide, Sgt Hardy told WCVB Channel 5 Boston that fans initially feared he was intervening to stop their fun. He said: “It was funny. A bunch of fans – Scots and Americans – were playing with the ball and I think they thought when I came over that I was going to be the fun police and steal their ball.”
He added: “I did steal their ball but I just ran with it and did my thing and it was funny and took off. I didn’t think it’d get the legs it did – no pun intended – but it was great, it was fun to see us being out here as police interacting with everybody and having a fun time.”
Laughing, he said: “The beers poured on me were a little refreshing with the hot day, but it was all good fun.”
Scotland Fans in Boston for World Cup
The Tartan Army have descended on the Massachusetts capital for Scotland’s first World Cup in nearly 30 years, which opened with a 1-0 victory over Haiti thanks to a deflected John McGinn strike.
Philipp Müller, 25, from Munich, Germany, who moved to Boston last month, witnessed the camaraderie. He said the scene reminded him of Scotland fans’ visit to Germany for the Euros two years ago.
Philipp told the Record: “The atmosphere was amazing. I thought the policeman had an issue with some of the fans but it turned out he just wanted to show off his football skills, which were pretty impressive. He represented the openness of the US people to fans around the world and especially the Scots. It reminded me of the opening game in Munich for the Euros in 2024. Seeing this just added to those memories.”
