Scotland is one of the oldest footballing nations. It has a rich footballing history and has been home to countless football legends. Here are six facts about Scottish football:
It’s home to the oldest trophy in football
Play in Scotland, and you get the chance to lay your hands on the oldest trophy in football. The Scottish Cup was first awarded in 1874. Yep, that’s right. It has nearly 150 years of history to call upon. It was crafted out of solid silver by Glasgow silversmith George Edward & Sons and was first awarded to Queens Park FC. It resides at the Scottish Football Museum and is brought out once a year to hand to the winners.
Rangers is the most decorated club of all time
For anyone outside of Scotland, this statistic might come as a bit of a shock. You might have thought that Real Madrid was the most successful club of all. But it’s actually Rangers. In their 146-year history, they have won 115 trophies (28 more than Real Madrid). Their rivals Celtic have 18 more than Real Madrid. With these two teams dominating Scottish football for so long, it’s no surprise that they have amassed such an impressive trophy cabinet.
Only two teams have won the Scottish top-flight league title in over 35 years
Rangers and Celtic have dominated the Scottish top-flight league for most of its history. In the last 35 years, the teams have had a relatively equal share of success. The last team to win it (other than Celtic and Rangers) was Alex Ferguson’s famous Aberdeen side. That makes it a pretty safe bet if you’re into sports betting.
It’s home to one of the fiercest football rivalry
Think the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona is tense? Think the Manchester derby has a great atmosphere? Then, you clearly haven’t been to a game between Rangers and Celtic, the Old Firm Derby. The fierce rivalry between the two Glasgow clubs has lasted for over a century, it’s torn families apart, and it has created a physical divide in the city. There’s even a religious backdrop to it. Celtic is a catholic club, and Rangers is protestant.
It’s the birthplace of the world’s greatest football manager
Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager in the history of football. During his illustrious career, he won a total of 49 major trophies. Although 38 of those trophies came during his time at Manchester United, that doesn’t tell the whole story of his career. He is one of the only managers to take on Rangers and Celtic with his famous Aberdeen side. During his time at Aberdeen, he dominated Scottish football and even beat Real Madrid to the European Cup.
Home to the first British team to play in the European Cup
The European Cup wasn’t always the height of football achievement. When the tournament started in 1955, teams were selected on whether or not they had floodlights. Chelsea was invited to play but declined. Next to be asked was Hibernian, who had finished 5th in the Scottish League. They made it all the way through to the semi-finals but were ultimately knocked out by French side Reims.