A duck from Providence, Rhode Island, has emerged as an unlikely unofficial mascot for Scotland's football supporters at the World Cup. Known as Dawn the Duck, or Dawny, the bird, adorned with a Scottish flag and its distinctive golden medallion, led a pre-match bagpipe march for the Tartan Army ahead of Friday's fixture against Morocco.
Dawn gained prominence in 2024 as a "rally duck" after attending a Providence College Friars basketball game. However, concerns over animal welfare subsequently led to a ban from the stadium. Despite this, Dawn maintains a substantial online presence with over 30,000 followers on Instagram and frequently appears at various events across Providence.
Scotland enters Friday's match aiming for a second consecutive victory, following their 1-0 win against Haiti last Saturday, where John McGinn scored the decisive goal. A win against Morocco would secure Steve Clarke's side a place in the knockout stages of the tournament. However, Scotland are expected to be considered underdogs against a Moroccan team that recently drew 1-1 with five-time champions Brazil.
The Tartan Army has been making its presence felt in Boston, the host city for Scotland's opening two World Cup games, reportedly contributing to a significant beer shortage. In a more fortunate turn of events for some fans, four Scotland supporters received a substantial financial boost for their trip, winning over $10,000 (approximately £8,000) in a raffle at a baseball game in Boston. The two father-and-son duos purchased the winning numbers at the Boston Red Sox stadium, which was packed with Scottish fans.
One of the winners, Paul Innes, expressed his disbelief after receiving the $10,677 prize, stating, "We checked in the ninth inning. We had to do a double take... The numbers matched. I think we checked three or four times. It's just surreal. It's not really sunk in." This unexpected win offers some relief from the considerable expenses typically associated with attending a major international tournament.
Source: Paul Innes