As the match between England and Ukraine kicked off last night, it was clear who the majority of the Fan Zone in Glasgow were supporting – anyone but England.
While tickets for the Glasgow Green venue were sold out, the Scottish weather appeared to have dampened people’s plans, with many tables empty.
Of the few hundred who did go along to watch the game, which England won 4-0, the overwhelming majority were backing Ukraine.
Some had their faces painted in Ukraine’s colours while others quietly cheered them on. Some also sported Scotland tops.
And the common response when asked why they were supporting Ukraine was ‘anyone but England’.
Mark Johnston, 49, and his son Dale, 24, from Lanarkshire, watched the game with family. Dale said: ‘I like to see the underdog win.’
As the match between England and Ukraine kicked off last night, it was clear who the majority of the Fan Zone in Glasgow were supporting – anyone but England. While tickets for the Glasgow Green venue were sold out, the Scottish weather appeared to have dampened people’s plans, with many tables empty
This fan said on Twitter that the Glasgow fan zone was ’empty’, but added they were having a ‘good time’ with friends
Daniel Bartlett, 21, also from Lanarkshire, was supporting the Eastern Europeans too. He said: ‘I’ll cry if England win. I’ll be so happy if Ukraine beat them.’
Meanwhile, Aisleen Ruddy, 27, from Stepps, Lanarkshire, was at the Fan Zone with Jack Pirret, 27, and their dog Rocky with their faces painted and wearing blue and yellow ponchos.
Mr Pirret said: ‘I work with a lot of English people, so I will get to slag them off.’ Their friends Paul Thomson, 27, from Stepps, Victoria Boyce 26, from Cumbernauld, and Kelly McPherson, 25, from Paisley, also had their faces painted.
Miss McPherson said: ‘England are so cocky and they need put down a level.’
Friends Gary Miller, 34, and Matthew Shields, 38, from Lanarkshire, were both backing Ukraine.
Mr Miller said: ‘It’s sheer hope that Ukraine will win. I think England will beat them and I don’t dislike the English but we just want to see them lose.’
Mr Shields said: ‘I am supporting Ukraine because I can’t be bothered hearing commentators going on about it for the next 50 years.’
However, among the sparse attendance were three friends backing England.
Of the few hundred who did go along to watch the game, which England won 4-0, the overwhelming majority were backing Ukraine. Above: Harry Kane celebrates after scoring England’s first goal in Rome last night
Nick Egerton-King, 20, from Edinburgh, watched with George West, 21, from the Yorkshire Dales, and 21-year-old Felix Bolton, from Edinburgh.
Mr Egerton-King said: ‘Since Scotland got knocked out at the group stages I’m supporting England now.
‘I know Scotland and England have a harsh relationship but at the same time we are from the same united nation.’
Mr West said: ‘I am supporting England, I have grown up there most of my life.
‘If they win, I’ll be ten-out- of-ten happy. If we win the Euros, I’ll be taking my girlfriend out for a celebratory meal with prosecco.’
In stark contrast to the empty scenes in Scotland, celebrations went long into the night for the Three Lions fans after their performance in Rome.
Hundreds of fans were filmed singing ‘football’s coming home’ in Stevenson Square, Manchester, while in Brighton fans in cars performed wheel spins to fill the streets with smoke and honked their horns.
Scotland failed to make it to the knock-out stages of Euro 2020 after a 3-1 defeat to Croatia last month saw them finish bottom of Group D
In London’s Trafalgar Square – where there is an official Euro 2020 fan park – fans dressed in England shirts and wrapped in England flags celebrated the resounding win.
Hundreds also gathered in nearby Leicester Square after the match. But as the beers flowed, the scenes soured, with police moving in and appearing to make arrests.
Harry Kane scored a brace, adding to goals from Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson.
It means Denmark are all that stands between Gareth Southgate’s side and a historic first European Championship final. The semi-final clash is due to take place on Wednesday night at Wembley.
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Kane gave England an early lead when he poked the ball home with just four minutes on the clock after a killer though-ball from Raheem Sterling, who gave another classy performance.
Maguire then scored with a thumping header from a Luke Shaw cross to make it 2-0 after the break. And England then ran riot in Rome, with Kane scoring his second and Henderson heading home a fourth from a Mason Mount corner.
The lucky few thousand England fans who had made it to Italy celebrated into the early hours in Rome.
‘It has been the most amazing night,’ said James Curran, who had travelled from Prague with two friends for the match. ‘I don’t think anyone in the stadium expected this result. Everyone is in dreamland.’
Other stunned supporters struggled to get their words out as they tried to comprehend the team’s achievement.
Supporter Marc Ghossein said: ‘It’s an amazing feeling. We have been waiting for this for 25 years now.’
His friend Ellie Mhanna added: ‘England are going to win this year’s Euros for sure. They’ve been consistent and they deserve it.’
Yesterday’s match came after last month’s drab 0-0 draw between England and Scotland, which was played at Wembley Stadium. The Euro 2020 group-stage meeting between the historic rivals had been highly-anticipated. Above: Scotland’s players were delighted with the 0-0 result
When the game ended the festivities continued in London, firstly inside the fan zone at Trafalgar Square before they were kicked out by security.
Fans later took to the streets of London, partying in Pall Mall, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, excited for the prospect to do it all over again on Wednesday.
But it turned sour at Leicester Square, where police clashed with swathes of England fans.
Yesterday’s match came after last month’s drab 0-0 draw between England and Scotland, which was played at Wembley Stadium.
The Euro 2020 group-stage meeting between the historic rivals had been highly-anticipated.
In a stark contrast to fans’ enjoyment of last night’s barnstorming performance, England’s players were booed off the pitch at Wembley after their failing to find the net against their bitter rivals.
Thousands of Scottish fans had travelled down to London and piled into the capital’s Leicester Square to party before the game and to celebrate the hard-fought draw afterwards.
Despite their good result against England, Scotland failed to make it to the knock-out stages of the tournament after a 3-1 defeat to Croatia saw them finish bottom of Group D.
