When the whistle blew and Scotland won its match against Haiti last week, the stadium in Foxborough came to life.
“Nobody left the stadium; we just all sang the songs and really partied,” said Belmont resident and Scottish native Euan Milne. “What was really fun was the Haiti fans have such an amazing culture, too, so in the parking lot… all the Haiti fans had a big DJ fan set up with music. It was just a big dance party.”
And that’s the beauty of the FIFA World Cup, said fellow Scottish native Robbie Shade, also a Belmont resident — bringing together cultures from across the world.
“The Scottish fans and the Haiti fans just dancing together, singing together — it’s a lovely thing to see,” he said.
When Shade was presented with an opportunity to buy tickets to the World Cup late last year, all he knew was he’d be attending a game on June 19 at 6 p.m. Team locations hadn’t been decided and as far as he can remember, Scotland hadn’t yet qualified.
“We said sure … that sounds like a nice time to take the kids to their first World Cup game,” he recalled. “Then a few months later … we found out it was going to be Scotland playing [in Foxborough]. It’s a crazy coincidence.”
Like Shade, Scottish native Ewan Lamont also didn’t know he’d get the opportunity to watch his team play until just days before the match, when a friend reached out with a ticket to offer. A U.S. citizen who grew up in England with a Scottish father and Czech mother, Lamont said while Scotland is his team of choice, he has four teams for which he can cheer.
“Two days before kickoff, I thought I was watching from my couch at home but the gods spoke and I had a ticket to the game,” said the Belmont resident. “Last weekend was completely madness. We’ve been drinking it in.”
Lamont said he went to Charlestown the night before to Scotland House, where everyone was wearing a kilt — an outfit choice that usually earns him a questionable look from others.
“It’s just perfectly normal,” he said. “So it’s fantastic. When you’re in a kilt, it’s obligatory for you to have a fantastic night.”
Milne, whose family took part in the Scottish parade to Fenway Park for the Red Sox game, said the Scottish take a lot of pride in their team, despite it not always being the best.
“We take a lot of pride in having fun,” Milne said. “Soccer is the number one sport in Scotland, so there’s a lot of passion, but at the same time, we’re not very good. We’re here and we’re happy and we’re here to have a big party.”
All across Greater Boston, Scottish fans, who call themselves the “Tartan Army,” have been warmly received by locals. Restaurants and bars have been a hive of activity for viewing parties, and orange traffic cones appeared on statues throughout the area — a nod to the statue of the Duke of Wellington in Glasgow, Scotland, which has donned a cone since the 1980s.
“We like to make the most of it because we don’t often qualify for the World Cup. so when we do, we’re just going to make the most of it,” Lamont said.
Scotland last qualified for the World Cup 28 years ago, in 1998.
“A lot of people have chosen not to travel to the U.S. because of the headlines, because of what’s going on, and I respect that, I understand that,” Lamont said. “I think politics was the last thing on anybody’s minds. I think if you wander around Boston right now… Everyone’s here, everyone’s having the time of their lives.”
He acknowledged in particular the politics inherently involved in the Iranian team being asked to return immediately to their home base in Tijuana after their game in California.
“That stuff sucks. It’s not getting the headlines, and quite rightly,” Lamont said. “The headlines are about the excitement, the unity, and the diversity. That’s what [they]it should be.”
And from his perspective, his team’s matchup against Haiti demonstrated that perfectly.
“For Scotland and Haiti to come together and just have one hell of a time— that’s how it should be,” he said.
