Scott McTominay produced a moment of pure magic at Hampden Park, scoring an outrageous bicycle kick that propelled Scotland towards automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a crucial victory over Denmark.
Early Masterpiece Stuns Danish Defence
The Napoli midfielder, formerly of Manchester United, needed just three minutes to make his mark on this decisive Group C encounter. Meeting a floated cross into the penalty area, McTominay executed a perfect acrobatic finish that left Kasper Schmeichel helpless and sent the Tartan Army into raptures.
The 28-year-old adjusted his body perfectly as the ball dropped, leaning backwards to direct his spectacular strike into the bottom corner. This marked his 13th international goal and his second in the current qualifying campaign, underlining the remarkable form he's found since leaving Manchester United in 2024.
Social Media Erupts Over Wonder Goal
The immediate reaction on social platforms reflected the sheer quality of the strike, with four-time Grand Slam winner Sir Andy Murray among those left astonished. "What on earth was that," Murray wrote on X, followed by four heart-eyed emoji faces. "McTominay, you little dancer."
McTominay's rise has been remarkable since his Serie A move, having won the MVP award last season as Napoli claimed the championship. His timing, work rate and goal-scoring prowess from midfield have quickly made him a fan favourite in Naples.
Qualification Battle Reaches Climax
Steve Clarke's side entered their final group match knowing only victory would secure automatic qualification for the North American World Cup finals. Their hopes had received an unexpected boost despite Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Greece, after Belarus surprisingly held Denmark to a draw in Copenhagen.
The result seemed fatal until Belarus rescued a point against Denmark, keeping the group alive and dragging the qualification battle to Glasgow. Denmark, led by McTominay's club teammate Rasmus Hojlund, only required a draw to book their place in the finals.
Hampden Park was electric from kick-off, with the Scottish supporters sensing a rare opportunity to secure World Cup qualification. Scotland responded with a blistering start that culminated in McTominay's early masterpiece.
Unfortunately for Clarke's men, their early momentum suffered a setback when Ben Doak was forced off in the 22nd minute. The Bournemouth winger, who had been electric during the opening exchanges and created the first goal, went down clutching his right hamstring and immediately indicated he couldn't continue.
Kenny McLean entered the fray as Scotland reorganised their midfield, determined to protect their precious advantage against the Danish threat.
Under Steve Clarke's leadership since 2019, Scotland have enjoyed one of their most consistent periods in decades. They've qualified for two consecutive European Championships for the first time in their history, ending a 23-year wait for major tournament football by reaching Euro 2020.
The Scots subsequently finished second in their Euro 2024 qualifying group, eventually reaching the finals in Germany, and carried their World Cup ambitions deep into the 2022 campaign before falling in the playoffs.
