There are goals that win matches and goals that end up on money. Scott McTominay's overhead kick, the one that sent Scottish pubs into collective structural stress, has now crossed into the second category.
The Bank of Scotland announced this week a limited-edition £20 note bearing an image inspired by that strike — the acrobatic finish that became the defining image of Scotland's World Cup qualification campaign and looped on Scottish social media for the better part of a news cycle. The note was commissioned specifically to mark Scotland's return to the World Cup, their first appearance at the tournament in a generation.
Limited-edition commemorative notes from the Bank of Scotland are legal tender and have form as collector pieces — previous runs have moved quickly among football fans and currency hobbyists alike. A banknote featuring a living footballer's most iconic moment sits at an unusual crossroads of sport and numismatics, and the Bank will be aware that demand is liable to outpace supply before the ink is fully dry.
McTominay, who plays his club football for Napoli after a high-profile move from Manchester United, has become something close to a national symbol in Scotland over the past two years. The overhead kick in question came during a crucial World Cup qualifier and was the kind of goal that gets a shorthand name within forty-eight hours of landing.
The notes are expected to enter circulation alongside standard issue, though the Bank of Scotland has not yet confirmed print run numbers or a public sale date.