John McGinn nets Scotland's first World Cup goal since 1998
Scotland achieve a historic victory in their opening FIFA World Cup 2026 game.
A goal from John McGinn gave Scotland their first World Cup victory in 36 years. It sent them to the top of a star-studded Group C. Steve Clarke’s side fought off a tenacious Haiti team on Saturday night.
John McGinn scored in the 28th minute. Haiti pegged Scotland back in the second half, nearly equalising at the end with a header from Frantzdy Pierrot that flashed past the goalpost. This Scottish goal comes 10,244 days after Scotland’s previous and last World Cup goal by Craig Burley in 1998.
Scotland clung on, and the three points sent them to the top of probably the World Cup’s most difficult group. This result came after a 1-1 draw between top-10-ranked Brazil and Morocco in New Jersey earlier that day.
Knowing what’s ahead, a win might be critical for Scotland; a draw would have meant they’d almost surely need to overcome either Brazil or Morocco to advance to the knockout stage for the first time in history. They now have a fantastic opportunity.
John McGinn writes history at the FIFA World Cup 2026
After 28 years in the World Cup wilderness, Scotland made a successful comeback to the global scene (with a goal) with a 1-0 Group C win over Haiti.
When John McGinn’s deflected shot found the back of the net, there was not only excitement in Boston but also throughout Scotland.
The Aston Villa player McGinn also scored Scotland’s first World Cup goal since the team’s 1-1 draw with Norway in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Scotland will face AFCON champions Morocco on June 20.
Also read: Five key takeaways from Scotland’s 1-0 win over Haiti in FIFA World Cup 2026
Before the 2026 World Cup, when was the last time Scotland scored a goal in the FIFA World Cup?
In 1998, at the World Cup in France.
Before McGinn, who was the last Scotland player to score at the World Cup?
Craig Burley.
Who won the game between Haiti and Scotland?
Scotland won the game 1-0.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.