Scotland claimed a famous 1-0 victory over Haiti in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C opener in Boston, ending a 36-year wait to win a match at the tournament and moving to the top of the group ahead of upcoming clashes with Brazil and Morocco.

John McGinn was the hero, netting the only goal of the match in the first half — a strike that became Scotland's first World Cup goal since Craig Burley scored against Norway in 1998. The Aston Villa midfielder's effort proved enough to deliver a crucial three points in what manager Steve Clarke had long described as a must-win fixture.

Clarke's proud reflection

Clarke was visibly emotional speaking to BBC Sport after the final whistle, delivering a message both grateful and defiant. "Everyone said it was a must-win game — we won the game," he said. "I just said to Andy Robertson — it's about time we won a game in the group stage."

Clarke acknowledged his side could have performed better in possession but made clear that mattered little given the result. "Defensively, outstanding. We could have been a little bit better on the ball, but who cares — we won," he added. The Scots were tested by a Haitian side that posed a persistent threat on the counter-attack, yet Clarke's well-organised defence held firm throughout.

Robertson: a dream fulfilled

Captain Andy Robertson, now at Tottenham, became the first Scotland skipper to lead the team out at a World Cup since Colin Hendry in 1998. Speaking to BBC Scotland, Robertson described the occasion as one he and his team-mates will never forget.

"What an amazing feeling. The lads achieved their dreams today," he said. "The fact we managed to walk out on to the pitch and sing the national anthem together, it was so special. To then go and follow it up with a win, it doesn't get much better than that."

Robertson was quick to highlight the defensive effort that secured the clean sheet. "The biggest thing was when we scored we didn't look like conceding, and that has to be a credit to every single player out there that defended for their lives," he said.

Ferguson and Shankland assess the performance

Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson admitted the pressure — both from within the squad and from the travelling support — had been palpable, but said belief carried Scotland through. "There was a lot of pressure on us and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as well," Ferguson told BBC Sport. "We back and believe in ourselves. I think we can play better — we can create more chances and score more goals — but we came here to do a job and we've done that."

Forward Lawrence Shankland echoed those sentiments, noting that nerves had been inevitable for a squad experiencing their first World Cup. "It's been 28 years since we've been to a World Cup, everyone has reminded us of that," Shankland said. "You feel the pressure going into the game and it probably is a bit nervy out there at times, but we'll take confidence from this. We've experienced it now and we'll move on to the next one with two difficult games to come."

With Brazil and Morocco standing between Scotland and the knockout stages, Clarke's side will need to build on this opening result — but for one night in Boston, the Tartan Army celebrated a long-awaited return to winning ways on football's biggest stage.