Scotland ends 28-year World Cup drought with stunning win against Denmark

I n one of the most dramatic nights in Scottish football history, Kieran Tierney curled in a superb strike in the dying seconds, and Kenny McLean lobbed a stranded Kasper Schmeichel from the halfway line deep into stoppage time, earning Scotland a 4-2 win over Denmark and booking their ticket to the 2026 World Cup .

Scotland , who had not qualified for football's biggest tournament since 1998, sealed automatic qualification with a roller-coaster performance at Hampden Park .

After early brilliance and periods of pressure, it was those two late, jaw-dropping efforts that lit up the night and sent the Tartan Army into raptures.

A dream start arrived in just the third minute, when Scott McTominay delivered a sensational overhead kick to send Scotland ahead.

But Denmark , needing just a point to top the group, didn't back down. In the 57th minute, Rasmus Højlund converted a controversial penalty after a VAR check on a foul by Andy Robertson .

The match took another turn when Rasmus Kristensen picked up a second yellow card for Denmark in the 61st minute, reducing the visitors to ten men.

Scotland capitalized, with Lawrence Shankland heading in to restore their lead in the 78th minute from a Lewis Ferguson corner.

But Denmark weren't done, Patrick Dorgu found the net in the 81st minute to pull the game back to 2-2.

Never-say-die spirit brings ultimate reward

As the clock ticked into stoppage time, tension hung heavy over a packed Hampden Park .

Then, in the third minute of added time, substitute Kieran Tierney picked his moment perfectly.

From some 25 yards out, he whipped in a sublime curl past Kasper Schmeichel 's outstretched form.

And when it seemed things couldn't get more dramatic, Kenny McLean delivered: spotting Kasper Schmeichel off his line, he launched the ball from midfield, over the keeper, and into the empty net, the perfect exclamation point.

Manager Steve Clarke was visibly moved by his team's resilience. He praised the quality of the goals and the never-say-die mindset that defined the night.

"We're going to a World Cup. Not bad," he said with a quiet grin, as the full magnitude of what they'd achieved sunk in.

That qualification marks a long-awaited return to the world stage for Scotland . It also caps off a turbulent campaign, with their fate hanging in the balance until the final seconds.

For the players, fans, and the nation, this is more than a result. It's a moment that will be remembered for generations. The Tartan Army can now begin dreaming of June 2026 and a return to the greatest stage in football.