'We'll never forget the joy’: Boston Globe publishes thank you letter to Scotland fans

The Tartan Army celebrated wildly as their national team played its opening two Group C matches in the city and were seen parting hard, playing bagpipes and wearing kilts into the early hours as they took over the New England metropolis in front of stunned local residents.

Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 in the opening match before losing by the same scoreline to Morocco, but the defeat did little to dampen spirits, with fans reportedly drinking one bar out of all but four of its 24 beers on tap.

"This was bigger than anything I’ve seen before," one local bar owner told Today. "And they drink morning, noon and night."

As Scotland depart for Miami ahead of their final group match against five-time winners Brazil, the team posted a thank you message on social media including photos of a traffic cone perched on a statue, supporters on a boat and Dawn the Duck leading a group of bagpipe players through the city's streets.

"You’ve made us feel more than welcome in the time we've spent with you; you've made us feel part of your incredible city," the post on X said. "Thank you for your generosity and your wonderful hospitality."

The response was almost immediate, with local newspaper The Boston Globe publishing a full-page thank you letter to the Tartan Army that acknowledged the city's rich sporting history.

Boston is home to some of America's most iconic sporting venues including Fenway Park, where nine-time World Series-winning Boston Red Sox play, and Gillette Stadium, home of Super Bowl champions New England Patriots, and the venue for Scotland's two matches in the city.

The city also boasts six-time Stanley Cup champions Boston Bruins, and the Boston Celtics, winners of a record 18 NBA Finals titles.

But they admitted hosting Scotland at the World Cup gave the city "something more".

"You came for the World Cup, but gave us something more. For a week, you turned train stations into singalongs, Fenway into a football ground, and an ordinary June into something we'll be talking about for years," the newspaper wrote.

"Boston has hosted championships, parades, and celebrations of every kind. But we've never hosted guests quite like you all. Thank you for the laughter, the bagpipes, and the memories.

"The World Cup will move on. So will the songs, but we'll never forget the joy you brought to our city."

Boston will next host England and Ghana supporters ahead of their World Cup match on Tuesday.