"I had a feeling": Kieran Tierney lifts lid on Scotland message amid mystic prediction with Celtic teammate

Having twice been in the lead through Scott McTominay and Lawrence Shankland, Scotland found themselves level with ten-man Denmark heading into the dying embers of their crucial World Cup qualifier. The dream of automatic qualification to next summer’s World Cup was minutes away from being over. The playoffs beckoned.

As the clock ticked into the third minute of injury time, Tierney’s gut feeling that he’d play a part in ending a 28-year wait to qualify for the World Cup became reality as he drove home just the second international goal of his career beyond the outstretched arm of club teammate Kasper Schmeichel. When Kenny McLean added a fourth with an audacious 50-yard lob in the dying seconds, the elusive wait was finally over.

Amongst the pandemonium that could be felt vibrating through the walls of the home dressing room, the first player to emerge from the commotion was the 28-year-old full-back. Wearing a grin as wide as the River Clyde, the defender’s expression was mirrored back to him by the waiting media in the Hampden mixed zone. Dazed, happy, and clearly emotional. This has been a long road, both individually and collectively.

“I knew we’d get one more chance,” said Tierney. “I heard the manager say there would be one more chance. We just had to keep believing. It was never going to be the easy way, it never is. Usually I just leather the ball and that doesn’t always work. So I said to myself to just try and place it and it fell nice for my left foot. I just tried to hit the corner and, luckily, it’s went in.

“Naisy [Steven Naismith] actually said to me ‘Go and take us to the World Cup.’ So we’ve managed to do that. I said to [Anthony] Ralston in the morning ‘What if one of us comes on tonight and scores?’ I did it and just for the country, the fans, the staff and all the players it’s such an amazing feeling. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”

Having ended their wait to return to the world stage, the Celtic hero lavished praise on the work of head coach Steve Clarke - who has continued to select the defender in his squad despite an injury-plagued couple of years - after he became the first manager in the nation’s history to lead Scotland to three major tournaments.

“I’m very grateful to the gaffer here,” said Tierney. “The last few years have been hard, really hard. Some really low points, just as in life everyone goes through. I’m no different from anyone. He’s always stuck with me and given me confidence. I’m just happy to repay everyone’s faith in me and for all the patience people have shown in me, the support.

“It’s right up there. It’s not sunk in yet but as a goal, it’s probably the most important one I’ve ever scored. I don’t know if I’ll ever score one as important. No matter what people say, the facts are there. Three tournaments, including a World Cup for the first time in so many years, and all the team’s together. You can see that at all the games. We’re all as one and we’re with the gaffer. We love it here and it’s a great chemistry the team’s got. It’s been brilliant - and this tops it off.”

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