Kieran Tierney will have to go a long way to be part of such a emotionally absorbing game for Scotland.
In what has been a morale-sapping few years for the Celtic hero, because of his injury issues, it was topped off in style at Hampden on Tuesday night.
As the rest of the world already knows, Scotland will be going to the 2026 World Cup, and that manic game against Denmark was spoken about on the latest The Rest Is Football Podcast.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer gave their flowers to Scotland’s stars, as well as Tierney’s game-winning goal in stoppage time.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer praise Kieran Tierney and Scotland
Many would have seen on social media the celebrations of three of those wonder strikes from Scott McTominay, Tierney and Kenny McLean.
As Shearer rightfully touched upon, the goals were ‘unbelievable’ and ‘very rarely’ will you see such ‘high-quality’ goals scored in such a pressure cooker of a match.
Either way, Lineker and Shearer gave their flowers to Scotland for booking their first World Cup ticket since 1998.
Lineker: “We’ve got to start with Scotland, Alan. I mean, oh, what a game. I was watching it, and you thought, “Oh, no. It’s not going to (happen).’ That incredible Scott McTominay over-the-head kick and then the drama at the end was just, I mean, it was very special.”
Shearer: “Yeah, it was unbelievable. I mean, I got loads of pals from Scotland, well, over the years, and also at Loch Lomond. The texts you sort of get through and I was, it was like, it sounded just bonkers. The atmosphere just looked electric. Amazing for them.
“That way to do it. Some of the goals, my God, I mean, McTominay’s overhead kick. I have seen some pretty special overhead kicks in my time. I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone get as high as that.”
Lineker: “To win the group, and not even have to do it via the playoffs. But that late drama, I mean, the goal, obviously from Tierney, slight deflection, yes, but maybe it would have bent in anyway. Then the winning goal from the halfway line from McLean.”
Shearer: “If you’re going to do it, you might as well do it in a special way. I mean, the three goals on the night were unbelievable. Very rarely would you get three high-quality goals like that in one game.
“But to do it in a game of such importance, when it means so much, when you have everyone so gripped. You could just see by the reaction, you can see by the players in the dressing room, the fans in the stadium, the fans afterwards with the text message that we have all been getting.”
Lineker on wanting Scotland to win
Lineker admitted that he wanted Scotland to qualify, but understands that the feeling isn’t mutual from the other end.
But the 1986 Golden Boot winner shared how he felt as the Scotland goals were raining in.
“I think a lot of us genuinely in this country want Scotland to do well,” said Lineker. “Not if we play against them. But we want them to be in the World Cup.
“I don’t think it would be the other way around, for obvious reasons. I totally get why. I jumped out of my seat when I saw that happen. It was just fantastic.”
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