This story is part of a series celebrating soccer cultures around the world—and the communities shaped by them. Read more 2026 World Cup coverage here . Oh, there were so many birds in the sky—flipped with glee when a referee called offside and overturned a Celtic FC goal in front of a frenzied crowd of 50,000 on a chilly, overcast day at Glasgow 's Ibrox Stadium. Rangers football fans roared their approval, holding nothing back. This was the Scottish Cup football quarterfinal in March, where the two rival teams were facing off for the 451st time. Matches starring the “Old Firm”—the nickname for a rivalry born in the 19th century between crosstown football clubs in Glasgow—can heat up a frigid spring day, in part because fans light flares in the stands. This particular pairing, one of hundreds of “Glasgow Derbies” they’ve played, was no different. Celtic prevailed in penalty shots, 4-2, and it was absolute mayhem, with fans spilling onto the pitch in a riot of screaming and signs of the Catholic Cross.…