CHARLOTTE, N. C. — For Ryan Christie, the 2026 World Cup has already delivered a moment of sheer childhood fantasy. Relaxing at the team hotel in uptown Charlotte, the Scotland midfielder watched Lionel Messi produce a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria — and suddenly, the man with 69 caps for his country was reduced to a starstruck fan.
"When you chill out a bit, you turn back into a spectator," Christie admitted. "Watching Messi and stuff like that, it's incredible. It's immense and pretty surreal, to be honest. When I was younger, I idolised Messi, so to think you're playing on the same kind of stage as him now is pretty cool, especially the age he's at. Watching him do his thing was unbelievable."
From Living Room to World Stage
Christie, now 31 and a key figure for Bournemouth in the Premier League, never dared to imagine he would one day share a tournament with his idol. Growing up, simply representing Scotland felt like the ultimate dream.
"I had aspirations of playing for Scotland when I was growing up — that was my pinnacle — but you didn't ever think further than that. I never, ever envisioned playing at a Euros, never mind the World Cup."
That humility explains the raw emotion that poured out of Christie after Scotland’s dramatic play-off victory in Serbia secured a place at Euro 2024. "The tears were because it felt so out of reach for me and a few of the other boys," he recalled. "So, to be doing this here is incredible. Everybody has that feeling that you're playing on a stage that literally all the eyes across the globe are watching you. You're just desperate to try and make a name for yourself."
The World Cup has already showcased its superstars: Messi’s treble was followed by doubles from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, underlining the tournament’s formidable quality.
Scotland Ready to Defy the Odds Against Morocco
After a cameo off the bench in Scotland’s opening draw with Haiti, Christie could be in line for a starting role when they face the highly dangerous Morocco in Boston on Friday (2300 BST). The Scots are considerable underdogs, but Christie insists there is genuine belief in the camp.
"Absolutely. I think we've got to think like that," he said when asked if Scotland can win. "Especially after the first result against Haiti. We need to keep those numbers as low as possible and then do our bit when we do get the chance to hurt them."
He takes confidence from recent scalps against top-tier opposition, noting that Scotland have gone toe-to-toe with "teams that are as good as Morocco" in recent years. The 31-year-old is no wide-eyed innocent. He knows that Scotland will not dominate possession or limit Morocco to zero chances, but believes they can make life uncomfortable for their star-studded opponents.
Key Takeaways
- Ryan Christie describes watching idol Lionel Messi score a World Cup hat-trick as a surreal, pinch-me moment.
- The Scotland midfielder never believed he would play at a major tournament, making his World Cup debut all the more emotional.
- Scotland face Morocco in Boston on Friday, with Christie likely to start after a substitute appearance against Haiti.
- Despite being underdogs, the Bournemouth playmaker insists Scotland have the belief and tactical plan to cause an upset.
- Christie’s journey from fan to participant epitomises the magic of the World Cup for Scotland’s generation of players.
Quick Facts
Player: Ryan Christie
Age: 31
Club: Bournemouth
Scotland Caps: 69
Next Match: Scotland vs. Morocco (Friday, 2300 BST, Boston)
Idol: Lionel Messi
Tournament: 2026 FIFA World Cup