After Scotland’s exit, Scottish broadcaster Andrew Neil declared his support, external for the Three Lions — but comments from SNP MP Lara Bird last week suggest the King was right not to assume Scots would back England.
Bird, who is half English, told Politics Live, external that Scots had become “really passionate” Mexico and Norway supporters ahead of their games with England, adding she would likely cheer for the Norwegians.
The SNP also issued a press release saying the party would “raise a glass to Argentina” — ostensibly to mark the one-year anniversary of a whisky deal.
Some dismissed it as light-hearted banter, but not everyone saw it that way.
Several commenters labelled Bird “pathetic”, while others were simply puzzled.
“If Scotland were playing anybody else in the world apart from England I’d be supporting them,” MP Karl Turner posted, external.
For many north of the border, the more relevant question is why they should be expected to support the “Auld Enemy”.
To them, England’s exit would simply be the most entertaining outcome.
A frequent social media response is a clip from a 2020 Kevin Bridges stand-up set.
Impersonating a perplexed English person, the comedian says: “Let me get this straight … you actively support the other teams because they’re playing England?”
Switching back to his Glaswegian accent, Bridges adds: “That’s pretty much it, mate.”