England is just two games away from ending "60 years of hurt" and could hit a World Cup final, with Argentina standing as their massive semi-final opponent. But up north, in Scotland, fans are facing a seriously tough choice: back their ancient rivals or go full "anyone but England?" It’s a debate tearing through the Tartan Army right now, with loyalties getting seriously tested.
The Original Rivalry Hits a Breaking Point
This isn't some new beef; England versus Scotland is the oldest international football rivalry, kicking off way back in 1872. Both nations claim to have invented the sport, and early on, the Scots actually dominated, even popularizing the passing game. Fast forward to 1966, and England became World Cup champions. Scotland, on the other hand, has never made it past the first round. Even this year, qualifying for their first World Cup since 1998 in the United States, Scotland's men's team couldn't break that curse. They joined the party, sure, with those heady June days in Boston and Miami, but it was brief. Now, as England keeps rolling, some Scottish football fans are staring down some truly tricky decisions about where their loyalties lie."How Could We Live With It?"
The sentiment is real, and it’s complicated. Hamish Husband, a Tartan Army organiser, won't even watch England games. He tells BBC Scotland News, "I feel too guilty about wanting them to lose." And an English World Cup title? Hamish asks, "How could we live with it?" He breaks it down like this: it’s not about the players, the manager, or even the fans. It’s because "England is our big brother, and sometimes you don't want your big brother to do well, do you?" He points to the media reaction too, saying Scots have to watch English commentators talking about "our nation" and "our country," which "does rile us." It probably shouldn't shock anyone that a YouGov poll before the World Cup started found nearly one in three Scots, 31% specifically, wanted England to do badly. Only 3% of English people felt the same about Scotland. But it's not all black and white: about one in 10 Scots, and a similar proportion of English people, said they would actually support their neighbors. Family ties play a huge role, with 506,207 people living in Scotland according to the 2022 census having been born in England. Robbie McSkimming, a committed Scotland fan from Dunfermline, Fife, has cheered against England at Hampden. Yet, thanks to cross-border family links, the 30-year-old backs the Three Lions in the later stages of tournaments. He told BBC Scotland News in Glasgow that "growing up there wasn't too much to cheer about for Scotland anyway." England is gearing up for that epic World Cup semi-final against Argentina. For football fans north of the border, the stakes aren't just about who wins on the field, but about history, pride, and whether they can stomach seeing their "big brother" lift the trophy. Get ready for some seriously divided households when that whistle blows!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.