Belle and Sebastian debut song for Scotland World Cup

The Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian have released a new song intended as an unofficial anthem for the Scotland national football team as it prepares for its first FIFA World Cup appearance in 28 years. The track, titled "It Only Takes One Lion," was released publicly on Tuesday, June 2.

The song was written following Scotland's decisive 4-2 qualifying victory over Denmark last November, which secured the team's place in the 2026 tournament. Band frontman Stuart Murdoch described the win as a historic moment, stating he felt the team was destined to win that day. The song received its live debut during the band's recent 30th-anniversary tour stop at London's Royal Albert Hall, where they are performing their first two albums, "Tigermilk" and "If You're Feeling Sinister," in full.

Murdoch explained that the track is a personal reflection on supporting the national team over five decades. He said the song tries to encompass the experience of the whole country following Scotland. Lyrically, it references players like Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Scott McTominay, and Kenny McLean, while capturing a mix of hope and self-deprecation familiar to Scottish fans. One...