Sports

Scotland Fans Took Over London Before The Oldest Rivalry In International Soccer And Went Absolutely Bonkers In The Streets

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Scotland Tartan Army Fans England Euro 2020

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  • Scotland and England is international soccer’s oldest rivalry.
  • The two countries met for the first time since 1996 on Friday and Scottish fans took over London.
  • Click HERE for more Euro 2020 coverage!

When England and Scotland first played each other in a soccer match, there was uncertainty over fan interest. Both countries did not know if there was any demand amongst their supporters. The match ended up drawing more than 2,000 spectators and sold out the West of Scotland Cricket club on Nov. 30, 1872, setting international soccer’s oldest rivalry in motion.

On Friday, 149 years later, the bordering rival countries faced one another in the Group Stage round of the UEFA European Championships. It was the 115th meeting between the two countries and the first time they had met in a major tournament since 1996.

The match was held on Friday at Wembley Stadium in London and thousands of Scottish fans took over the UK’s capital city. Known as the ‘Tartan Army,’ they started partying before they even arrived in England on Thursday.

Match day eve.

Some traveled by plane, others by train.

Upon arrival, it was utter mayhem. Hundreds of Scottish supporters descended on Leicester Square and took over the park. They could be seen letting off flares and dancing in the streets into the early hours of the morning.

Meanwhile, Tartan Army members could be seen wearing kilts and playing bagpipes in Hyde Park and near the train station at King’s Cross Square. Pandemonium broke out across the city.

As the afternoon turned to evening and evening turned to night, rain began to fall. That didn’t stop the party.

To say that the booze was flowing would be an understatement.

Eventually, after hours of celebration, the crowd dissipated. But not for long.

Match day mayhem.

Match day saw the Tartan Army pick right back up where they left off more than eight hours ahead of kickoff.

https://twitter.com/NewsForAllUK/status/1405901863258578945

https://twitter.com/SteveRightNLeft/status/1405923099170816000

Despite rain in the forecast all day, the Scottish supporters continued their takeover and made their presence heard.

Unless you are affiliated with England fandom, it’s hard not to love how Scotland has rallied around its team against one of the EURO 2020 favorites.

Today we are all Scottish. Cheers.