Scotland fans all say the same after ‘patronising’ BBC World Cup moment: ‘Wish we’d never qualified now’
Scotland fans have been left fuming by a moment that occurred during the BBC’s coverage of their Sports Personality of the Year award on Thursday night.
Golfer Rory McIlroy lifted the prize for 2025 after completing the golfing Grand Slam and then helping team Europe to a famous Ryder Cup victory.
The likes of Mary Earps and Beth Mead have won the prestigious award in recent years, but this year it was McIlroy’s turn for glory, as he fought off competition from the likes of F1 world champion Lando Norris and darts sensation Luke Littler.
The BBC celebrated some of the UK’s most memorable sporting moments of the year during the show, but Scotland fans have been left feeling aggrieved by the way their World Cup qualification was treated.
Scotland fans tear into Iain Stirling for ‘condescending’ England joke
Scotland are gearing up for their first World Cup since 1998, after a stunning 4-2 victory over Denmark at Hampden Park saw them finish top of their qualifying group back in November.
Kieran Tierney hit a remarkable stoppage-time winner for Steve Clarke’s side, before Kenny McLean made sure of their qualification with a 98th-minute strike from the halfway line.
It was one of the most memorable nights for a generation in Scottish football, and the excitement will only continue to build in the lead-up to next summer’s tournament.
However, several fans feel that Scottish comedian Iain Stirling has put a dampener on the mood for a joke that he made during the Sports Personality of the Year show.
Stirling joked that the upcoming tournament will be “the best thing to happen to Scotland at a World Cup, since Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany in 2010.”
Several fans suggested on X that they wished that Scotland had “never qualified” after seeing the comment, while others also branded the joke as “patronising” and “cringe.”
- @AlternateAdMan: “This is absolutely garbage, from all Scotland fans.”
- @greenbank94: “Patronising and offensive. I hope he was well-paid for humiliating himself and the country.”
- @Mocko500: “Ah yes, the Scottish cringe. It’s been a while. Patronising, condescending.”
Steve Clarke’s men to face immediate pressure at World Cup
Scotland’s preparations for the World Cup will become increasingly important in the coming months, and they will be under no illusions that they simply must hit the ground running in North America if they are to have any chance of making it past the group stage.
| Date | Opponent | UK Kick-off Time | Venue |
| 14 June 2026 | Haiti | 2am | Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts |
| 19 June 2026 | Morocco | 11pm | Gillette Stadium, Massachusetts |
| 24 June 2026 | Brazil | 11pm | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami |
Clarke’s men face Brazil in their final preliminary encounter, which places a huge amount of pressure on the opening two games, considering that a positive result against Carlo Ancelotti’s side is highly unlikely.
Morocco are also an impressive outfit, as they are currently ranked 11th in the world and recorded the best ever finish by an African side when they finished fourth back in 2022.
With that in mind, it is simply a non-negotiable that Scotland must beat Haiti in their opening game. Victory against the minnows shouldn’t be taken for granted, but failure to beat them on their World Cup debut could make for a bleak few weeks from then on.