Soft Power and Prisms: Scotland at the World Cup
It’s extraordinary watching Scotland on a world stage. It’s a very rare occurrence, and it smashes through the sort of built-in inferiorism that descends around us much of the time. Here, you see glimpses of the Soft Power Scotland would have as an independent country.
Joseph Nye outlined the concept in his 2004 book Soft Power. Nye explained that with soft power, “the best propaganda is not propaganda”, asserting that during the Information Age, “credibility is the scarcest resource.” Soft Power, Nye argues, entails the strategic shaping of others’ preferences through the use of “appealing, non-coercive, and attractive means, using cultural and political values to enact change”.
— BELLA CALEDONIA (@bellacaledonia) June 12, 2026
As an independent country, instead of having our entire game reported, commented on and patronised by another country’s media, we’d do it ourselves.
We wouldn’t have to put up with being sneered at and othered by the likes of Good Morning ‘Britain’ and other broadcast media.
You wouldn’t have to have your entire nation be presented to the world through another country’s prism [On the World Stage – Bella Caledonia]
There’s a good reason why broadcasting wasn’t devolved.
But if it’s endlessly annoying watching the World Cup through an English lens, in an era of social media that is no longer a bounded media narrative. The ‘UK’ broadcast media doesn’t have a grip on the stories we share – and are told – anymore.
Here, Charlotte Clymer, an American writer with 355k followers, writes:
I’ve been in NYC for the past 24 hours. The city is being overrun with Scottish supporters here for the World Cup. It’s absolutely delightful. 🏴
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) June 12, 2026
Here, a Boston news channel reports on Craig Ferguson’s arrival …
Scotsman Craig Ferguson arrives in Boston to a hero’s welcome after walking across the U.S. to attend the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/DuCH0GtvPy
— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) June 12, 2026
Here, the pipes and drums take over New York …
I absolutely fckn love this 💪🏼🏴🏴🏴 pic.twitter.com/n6C0oQYukt
— Celtic🍀Glasgow🍀💚🍀🏴🇪🇺 (@LA_Bernadette27) June 12, 2026
Social media is awash with good news stories about our fans in America.
Are we lucky to be based in Boston and New York with a traditionally huge Scots diaspora? No doubt. Are we playing off the success and myths of the likes of Outlander? No doubt. Are many Americans – how to put this charitably – a wee bit short of knowledge of the ‘Old Country’? No doubt.
Soft power shouldn’t be underestimated. What you are watching is a glimpse into the future.
So many great clips, so much joy! I actually feel sorry for England because their team has to be celebrated through a UK lens finally realising that a) there is another “home team” attracting more attention and b) some parts of the media are trying to be even handed and not to ignore Scotland especially since England’s first game is a while away yet. We at least have umpteen channels open to us, we are practised in using them and we have great stories to tell, English fans are used to relying on the BBC and others to do it for them. Scottish exuberance is hard to ignore and impossible for a country desperate to beat everyone else for the sake of their pride to match. England take themselves seriously, Scotland is always up for a laugh. Soft power indeed and deployed across the world – we come as equals not as would be conquerors.
In the past week I have heard 2 people talk about the power of narratives and the need to develop ways to share our stories rather than moaning the British establishment fails to do this. You and other indy voices have given us options to do this, thanks to all of you who have not given up!
What an inspirational video.
Scotland the Brave was the first song I learned when I was very young.
My grandmother and uncle told me I was singing it on the tram while marching up and down between the seats.
Whenever I stopped, the passengers asked sing it again son
The lyrics may be passé, but the tune is a masterpiece.
Spot on. Our fans are our best ambassadors. I posted elsewhere about the sneering UK media and my fears of the schadenfreude we are likely to see if things do not go well.
Just wonderful. Roll on independence. Good luck the team.
Can we not just be a normal country, Mike? All the other countries have diplomats, foreign embassies and ambassadors to represent themselves on the world stage?
Why do we ask our football players to do it? It’s not fair on them, and even if we won the World Cup, it would change nothing, the USA, the EU, the British State would all line up against another referendum…
I’m fed up. This bullshit that Scotland playing in the world cup somehow makes up for not having national sovereignty, I reject it..
Anyway, come on Scotland…!!!
Douglas – the article was all about how the Scottish fans are representing Scotland and raising profile of country despite us not having the diplomatic resources and influence any normal independent country would have. The article was not supporting this situation merely pointing out what could be achieved if we were independent. It also points out that despite not being independent yet we can still represent Scotland as an identifiable country on the international stage.
I also found watching the Scottish fans a great antidote to so much of the depressing news we’ve suffered watching racists running amok last week.
I tend to agree. And the representations do tend towards the usual clichés, including the very marshal and militaristic pipes and drums. People will warm to it as a representation of shortbread tin image Scotland but is this the kind of soft-power envisaged for Scotland as an independent nation? It is like the English equivalent of morris dancing and bowler hats, though I suppose that is better than the drunken English football hooligan equivalent.
Much is talked about the feel good factor for a nation if the nation team does well, and why not? I think this is more important though the effect is short-lived and shallow. Nevertheless, come on Scotland indeed. Last night’s match was very tentative and a bit lucky but victory was secured so the platform for a better play is now there.
Niemand – the bagpipes are internationally recognised as being Scottish. Most people enjoy them thinking they are celebrating Scottish culture and not threatening – as long as they are played outdoors!
The motto of the fans is about having a party and this was how the fans appeared to be approaching the occasion both in USA and at home.
The Scottish fans were voted the best fans at Euro 2024 despite the team being ranked last. It is more important to see ourselves as others see us and using this parameter the Scottish fans are excellent ambassadors for the country.
Last night was only our 5th ever win at World Cup in last 50 years and first for 36 years. We can play better but players were under enormous pressure and our key player McTomminay didn’t look fully fit after stomach upset. Haiti are only a few ranking places below us so expectations of an easy victory were unrealistic.
Of course the feel good effects will be relatively short lived but having suffered disappointment over so many years I am more than happy to just enjoy us being at a World Cup and any victory we can get.
the point is, folks, that, except maybe for Curaçao, we are the only team playing at the World Cup which is not a sovereign nation state…
England is a sovereign nation state, because its population is ten times larger than ours, and so whatever it decides, happens, like Brexit for example.
What we decide in Scotland, for example, voting in a majority of SMPs who want a second referendum is blithely ignored by England and most of the rest of the world…
Despite our most recent humiliation in this regard, ie, being refused even a discussion about a second referendum by Starmer, our First Minister is there, in situ, in the full kit, getting stuck into the pints wi the Tartan Army…
How to make sense of it all?
Is it good that John Swinney is there?
I have my doubts…
And no big protest, no ouburst of national indignation at the shoddy treatment we have received, not only from england, also from the EU, also from Obama and Merkel (not to mention that crook Mariano Rajoy).
You’ll forgive me, but what it looks like to me is that far too many Scots can get by perfectly fine with a kind of second rate national status, just as long as we get to the finals and the, so-called, “world stage” (a world stage which is totally mediated by the press of course)…
Agree mostly Douglas, but the wider point is that the ‘world stage’ is no longer successfully mediated by the msm but is bypassed – in this case hugely succesfully – by social media.
It’s a weird country which expends such energy, emotion, pride and money on the fitba, while at the same accepting its own political subordination..
Scottish intellectuals used to make this point back in the 80s, in particular, the McIlvaney brothers…
No one seems to notice the glaring contradiction these days…
Swinney seems perfectly at ease in the role of the happy go lucky Scot abroad with zero international political status and a fan base who insist that everyone know Scotland exists.
The irony is, not infrequently, foreigners assume Scotland already is independent..
It makes me uneasy, it makes me think Swinney is complacent at best, frivolous at worst…
But Douglas, surely its not controversial for the First Minister to support the national team at a World Cup?
Douglas – I also remember William McIllvaney’s comments about football being a substitute for politics but if I recall correctly they were in late 70’s pre devolved parliament at the time of Argentina World Cup. Scottish football supporters outlook and behaviour has changed considerably, mainly for the better, since these days.
Nobody is suggesting that playing in the World Cup Finals is any sort of substitute for Scotland being an independent country. It cannot however do any harm to independence cause and who knows may even help it in some small way. The positivity of being identifiably Scottish and being recognised and appreciated as such may actually help counter the constant negativity about Scotland fed by media on an almost daily basis. In addition not only will people watching Scotland, from outside UK, better appreciate that Scotland is a separate country and some may even take the time to familiarise themselves with the current political situation in Scotland?
Your complaint about John Swinney attending World Cup finals is echoed by many miserable opponents of independence. Never forget that independence is usually secured by the people and not the politicians. What harm can come from the Scottish FM being seen at one of the few events where Scotland is identifiably a separate country?
Cultural identity and pride in that cultural identity can prove to be significant factors in building popular support for independence. This is usually of more relevance in countries where the majority of population do not feel an overwhelming sense of political oppression as is unfortunately currently the case in Scotland.
I would strongly recommend that everyone just enjoys watching an all too rare Scotland appearance at a World Cup and appreciates an even rarer victory at these finals. After all when something makes even Steve Clarke breaks into a smile you know things can’t be that bad.
@John, I guess that might have been around the time Subbuteo brought out a British national football team (if I remember correctly, with pale blue shirts and maybe maroon shorts?), which might have been pitched during England’s fail-to-qualify-for-tournaments streak (1972–78?), as a way to maximise success, not specifically to copy the amateur Team GB Olympic team? I’m not sure exactly the history here.
https://subbuteo.online/an-official-great-britain-2012-subbuteo-team-is-coming/
Aye, John, you SNP hacks will always contrive to see the silver lining in the very big dark cloud…
John Swinney is a chancer who fears an investigation into how the SNP is run because he is an integral part of that… He is covering for another complete chancer, Sturgeon…
Good for Cabo Verde, a country of 500,000 people, who have managed to hold Spain to a draw. They secured their independence from Portugal 50 years ago…
WTF has the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon etc got to do with my comment. I merely stated that it seems reasonable for a FM to go to the World Cup regardless whoever they are or whatever party they represent.
I also stated that the drive for independence will have to come from the public rather than politicians.
I think your comments betray a case of how dare I contradict anything that you write. Sorry Douglas but we are all entitled to our own opinions based on our own experience even if they don’t entirely align with your views.
If I may offer you a piece of advice – Just chill out over the World Cup and enjoy the football. In all probability it won’t last that long for Scotland and who knows how long it will be until we qualify again.
All the best
Yeah, John, I heard your advice the first time about chilling out ( by which you mean, forgetting politics) and “just enjoying” the world cup…
Why you feel the need to impart such (repeated) advice to complete strangers over the internet, I do not know…
Douglas – I agree with Robin McAlpine from Believe in Scotland, which I am a member of, when he talks about the need for everyone who supports independence to put their shoulder to the wheel to help make a positive case for an independent Scotland. To listen to our fellow countrymen who are not yet convinced and try and make the positive case to them. Rediscover the positivity from public engagement from 2014 -which NS frittered away and using mainly for SNP benefit. and use for wider independence movement. I also agree with Robin McAlpine that that keyboard warriors who just churn out negativity from their bedroom contribute very little to furthering the independence cause even though they might massage their own personal ego in the process.
Reread your comments on this site which appear full of anger and negativity and you might understand why a complete stranger and fellow independence supporter might give you the advice to chill out a bit for both your own and others benefit.
John, can I give you some advice for a change?
Why don’t you stop talking down to people, or in fact, let’s leave it at just myself, on Bella Caledonia?
What would you use soft power for? And how reliable is this kind? Will it not suffer detraction, from scandals or racist riots or animal cruelty or public squalor or private vice or political corruption or historical wrongdoings come to light? Isn’t this just a crappy marketing-poetic view of Scotland?
I was greatly amused by the story of the recipient of President of Mexico Sheinbaum’s VIP match ticket, whose love of football was born from the ashes of poetry:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/12/tickets-are-very-expensive-mexican-president-sheinbaum-explains-why-she-did-not-attend-world-cup-opener
It’s all good fun. The international cultural projection of lots of Scots wearing kilts and playing bagpipes a lot is unavoidable. I suppose the dour level of fitba playing is expected as well. It is disconcerting that every Scottish player I’ve seen interviewed sounds like he comes from Wigan or somewhere nearby. Scotland will have won the World Cup by getting out of the qualifying round, if they haven’t won already by qualifying (if you want to feel inferior, England will have won the World Cup by winning the World Cup). Personally, I find the most inspiring team in the Word to be the English womens team.
Oh Billy, there’s a lot to unpack here isn’t there?
Was the game against Denmark dour?
@Billy, and what in particular makes the English womens team so inspiring for you?
https://blog.sleepingdog.org.uk/2022/08/benchmark-of-estimated-simulation-in.html
I have often wondered why we have been unable to tap in to the Scottish diaspora. Perhaps building on the bridges that the Tartan Army have been building would be a good start? A twinning between a Scottish town and Boston? Cultural exchange? It’s a pity to lose some of that goodwill generated in the area even if the people of Boston probably be happy to see the World Cup leave town in the next week.