Major Stevie Small MBE, the piper who played Flower of Scotland before Scotland's historic World Cup qualifying match, has called the moment an "incredible honour". The performance director at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo took to the pitch at Hampden Park on Tuesday evening as Scotland secured their first men's World Cup berth since 1998.
Scotland defeated Denmark 4-2 in Glasgow to clinch their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America. The victory ended a 28-year wait for Scottish football fans to see their national team compete on the world's biggest stage.
Electric atmosphere at Hampden
Major Small described the atmosphere as unlike anything he had experienced. "The atmosphere at Hampden was the best I've ever experienced, the crowd were so loud I could barely hear myself play," he said after the match.
The moment evoked powerful memories for the piper. "It took me right back to when Kenny Dalglish scored against Wales in '77 to send us to Argentina," Small recalled, referencing Scotland's last World Cup qualification nearly five decades ago.
Following the team to North America
Major Small expressed pride in how his work with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has created unexpected opportunities. "Working with the Tattoo has opened the door to so many unexpected opportunities like this and I feel genuinely privileged," he said.
He confirmed his plans for next summer with enthusiasm: "And yes … I'll absolutely be following the team to the World Cup next year. C'mon Scotland!"
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
