The Tartan Army has certainly left a lasting impression on Boston locals
Boston locals are asking the Tartan Army to come back (Photo: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record)
The Departure of the Tartan Army from Boston has left more than a few broken hearts in its wake, with locals comparing the Scots’ departure from the city to a painful break-up. Scotland’s supporters have spent the last few weeks turning Boston into a home away from home in the opening stages of WCand it seems the feeling was very much mutual.
Steve Clarke’s side played their opening two Group C games in the Massachusetts city, beating Haiti before suffering defeat to Morocco at the Boston Stadium on Friday 19 June. With several days between matches, thousands had of Scotland fans settled into city life, filled bars, restaurants and streets with songs, bagpipes and lots of good humour.
The bond formed between Tartan Army and Boston has been one of the stories of the tournament so far, with the locals embracing the Scots and supporters quickly falling in love with the city.
Now that Scotland have moved on to Miami for their final group game against Brazil, many Bostonians are struggling to say goodbye. And a viral TikTok captured the mood perfectly.
Posted by user @jimentatorbidoni, the video has received more than 480,000 views and 110,000 likes as the locals joked about missing their Scottish visitors.
The clip shows a Boston woman climbing into bed while wearing a traffic cone on her head and clutching a Scotland flag. Using a popular Family Guy sound, she first mimes the line, “I should get some sleep,” before the sound turns into a loud sob.
The woman then tightly hugs the Scottish flag and pretends to cry herself to sleep, writing above the video: “Everybody in Boston right now.”
The comments section was quickly filled with emotional responses from Scots and Americans alike who had enjoyed the unique atmosphere created during the Tartan Army’s stay.
One user admitted: “Seeing them in Miami feels like I’m being cheated. As another added: “It’s really like a breakup,” and a third wrote: “I want to keep them.”
As one local appeared ready to fully embrace Scottish culture, he joked: “That’s it. Cones for Halloween this year.”
Others are already hoping for a reunion, with one comment reading: “Manifesting the great return on the 29th” – a reference to Scotland potentially returning to Boston for a knockout match if they progress from the group.
The affection between the city and the traveling support has been impossible to miss throughout the tournament. Among the standout moments were the Tartan Army’s huge line of school buses to Boston Stadium and the remarkable reception they received during the Boston Red Sox’s game against the Texas Rangers.
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There have been street parties, impromptu bagpipe performances and friendships between supporters and locals that many hope will continue long after the World Cup ends. The connection is so strong that there are now plans for Boston and Glasgow to officially become sister cities.
Even The Boston Globe, one of America’s biggest newspapers, published a heartfelt farewell letter to Scotland’s supporters as they headed south to Florida.
Meanwhile, some fans are already coming up with creative ways to bring the two communities back together. One suggestion that proved particularly popular involved American football, with one user writing: “The best suggestion I’ve seen is to have the Patriots play in Scotland so all the new friends can see each other again.”
