One way or another, Scotland’s clash with Morocco is bound to be dramatic. If there’s a fair wind behind Steve Clarke’s players, it has the potential to be historic.
Were they to secure the point which would make them the first side in dark blue to emerge from the group stage of a major tournament, it will certainly become emotional.
Ryan Christie had his moment nearly six years ago in a deserted stadium in Belgrade.
One of the heroes as Clarke’s side ended a generational wait to qualify for the delayed Euro 2020, the enormity of the achievement — and what it meant to a nation in the grip of the pandemic — hit the midfielder like a tidal wave.
Trying to articulate what it felt to not only get over the line but to give millions of Scots light in a moment of darkness, he bawled like a baby.
Simultaneously, in living rooms across the land, grown men claimed there was dirt in their eyes.
Ryan Christie is excited about the possibility of breaking new ground with this Scotland side
What the Bournemouth man would give to be asked for his thoughts on another seismic moment if it all goes Scotland’s way in Boston in match two.
If Clarke’s side do break new ground by reaching the last 32 of the World Cup, we should expect many more tears for souvenirs.
Asked how he would expect to feel compared to that storied night in Serbia, Christie said: ‘Probably equally as emotional, but this time I will be staying well away from the cameras.
‘Listen, I get it. It would be an absolute dream come true. It’s a dream come true to even be playing in a World Cup and after that you have to kind of quickly adjust your targets and adjust your mindset to ensure that you’re not just happy to be here.
‘You want to go and create more (history) and keep pushing the bar. It is probably something that this squad has done so well, and the manager as well has kept the foot to the floor with the whole squad.
‘So, we are desperate to get out of a group and really create some history.’
After two flat performances at successive European Championships, it was imperative that the players didn’t just make up the numbers at a tournament once again. The win against Haiti has gone a long way to ticking that box.
Christie cried during a post-match interview on the night Scotland qualified for Euro 2020
Yet, on another level, they are entitled to simply be happy to be here. They are part of a glittering cast list of football royalty.
They are sharing the greatest stage with Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and one Lionel Messi, already the top scorer in the tournament after claiming the match ball against Algeria.
For a boy from Inverness, it’s fine company to keep.
‘It’s obviously amazing to be part of it,’ added Christie. ‘I’m getting to play it and participate in it, but obviously you get the days when you kind of chill out a bit and you turn back into a spectator with the boys watching the games.
‘Like last night, watching Messi do his thing — stuff like that is just incredible. I idolised him growing up, so to think you’re playing on the same kind of stage as him now, it’s pretty cool.’
The football world’s admiration for the genius of the Argentine has been amplified by his longevity. He turns 39 next week, a mere whippersnapper compared to 41-year-old Ronaldo and 40-year-old Luka Modric.
Christie recently signed a new three-year Bournemouth contract taking him through to 34. Given the vintages of some of this summer’s superstars, maybe he has another World Cup in him, after all?
Christie had to settle for coming off the bench in the opening Group C win over Haiti
‘I hope so. I hope I’m playing at their age,’ he said.
‘You look at these guys that are still doing it on the biggest stage. Even some of the names that I’m playing against week in and week out in the Premier League. They are pushing into their high 30s and still turning out performances week in and week out.
‘It certainly gives us up a hope that we can kick on and, fingers crossed, we can make another World Cup.
‘Football in general has come on in leaps and bounds on that side of things. Even though there is a younger generation constantly pushing the athletic limits, we’ve got everything in place to try and prolong our careers as long as we possibly can.
‘You see how across football now, especially on the biggest stage like this, the amount guys are doing to prolong their careers off the pitch. Everything is in place for us to do well.’
There’s a simple reason why the golden oldies are still strutting their stuff this summer. Representing your country at a World Cup is as good as it gets.
Christie and his team-mates have only had a taste but already know that you can never get enough of it.
If they’ve earned their ticket to the promised land by the close of play tomorrow to ensure the adventure goes on, rest assured, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.
Christie trains with the Scots squad in Charlotte before their flight to Boston for Morocco clash
‘I obviously had aspirations of playing for Scotland when I was growing up,’ he said. ‘But you didn’t ever think further than that, probably because I didn’t get to watch Scotland play in a major tournament.
‘That just wasn’t really a possibility at that point. That’s probably why all those years down line, when we had that night in Serbia, it kind of hit home so much.
‘It felt so out of reach for me and a few of the other boys, so be doing this and to be here is incredible. Now we have to try and take our opportunity and show everybody how good a team we are.
‘We put a lot of pressure on ourselves and knew how much that (Haiti) game meant to everyone and for us to moving forward in the competition.
‘So, we’ve done that, we’ve given ourselves that chance and we need to go and grasp it. The first chance to do that is Friday night.’
