It’s often said that in soccer every goal counts, but it’s also true that not all goals are created equal. While a loose ball being bundled over the line via a hapless defender’s shin might be enough to win a game, only the most extraordinary goals can claim to be true works of art.
Case in point being Scott McTominay‘s outrageous overhead kick against Denmark in November, which helped secure Scotland’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Napoli midfielder’s heroics sent Hampden Park into a frenzy with just three minutes played and paved the way for a decisive 4-2 victory for the Tartan Army, who are now set to appear at their first World Cup in 28 years.
One month later, McTominay’s acrobatic effort has received an unusual plaudit. A dramatic picture of the 29-year-old’s volley taken by photographer Ross MacDonald has been framed up and put on display in Edinburgh at the National Galleries Scotland: Portrait.
The image of McTominay suspended in the air, with his foot high above his head among a gaggle of Danish defenders, has been hung on the wall in the Great Hall of the portrait gallery, where it will remain free to view until January.
Of course, this isn’t the first example of the soccer and art worlds coming together. The spheres overlap fairly regularly in one way or another, whether through photography, sculpture or murals.
Many of the game’s biggest stars have had their likenesses captured by artists over the years. Cristiano Ronaldo even shelled out on a giant collage by Italian-based Albanian artist Agron Hoti that detailed pivotal moments from the Portuguese forward’s glittering career.
Earlier this summer, Lionel Messi revealed his favorite career goal — his unlikely header against Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League final — as part of a project that saw it turned into an abstract digital piece by Turkish artist Refik Anadol. It was then sold for over $1.8 million at Christies to raise money for charity.