As always, the replies are absolutely incredible
David Marshall is a hero. Without his penalty save in Belgrade, Scotland wouldn’t have secured their place at Euro 2020 – ending their 23-year wait for a major tournament appearance in the process.
Cruelly, the sight of Marshall scrambling backwards in an unsuccessful attempt to stop Patrik Schick’s Goal of the Tournament contender, turned out to be one of the defining images of a frustrating tournament opener for Scotland on Monday.
The goal – Schick’s second of the afternoon – ended the scoring in the Czechs’ 2-0 win at Hampden Park. Was it Marshall’s fault? Should he have been closer to his goal? Was he just the victim of an outrageous piece of ingenuity?
Whichever way you slice it, the pictures of his desperate attempts to stop the goal quickly became meme-material, right up there with the Pique-Mbappe shirt tug.
First came this, which is unfettered genius:
— HappyToast★ (@IamHappyToast) June 14, 2021
Then, with a little prompting from ourselves, came plenty more…
I'm still absolutely gutted but have to laugh at these 🏴 https://t.co/OSEg2mE1Y6
— Yayymes (@Yayymes) June 14, 2021
As always with this sort of thing, we were amazed at the creativity and variety in the responses.
Be it much-loved films by Steven Spielberg…
— Daniel J. Rajaiah (@danieljrajaiah) June 14, 2021
… or Disney
— WarrenJonHughes (@warrenjonhughes) June 14, 2021
— Alex James Link (@Winklebert) June 14, 2021
He’d have gotten away with it if it only for that pesky Schick
— ChrisWilson (@bigchriswilson) June 14, 2021
Others imagined Marshall in other sporting events
Usain = Bolted. pic.twitter.com/yDqrUMJtzh
— Scott (@scottberwick) June 14, 2021
https://twitter.com/CrockerNiall/status/1404465040292552705
— Ryan (@RyanHulls) June 14, 2021
Or even iconic moments from his own sport
— Ben (@benjenkers) June 14, 2021
— Antony Shaw (@AntonyShaw99) June 14, 2021
There were lots of Mario references
— Ali Al-Mudaifa (@alialmudaifa) June 14, 2021
Others drew inspiration from other well-known memes
— BARNEY 🦚 (@BarneyLUFC21) June 14, 2021
There were also plenty more, too
In space no one can hear you scream pic.twitter.com/wPOfQc8iKm
— Bobstar 🐵🙈🙉🙊🐒 (@bobstar_m) June 14, 2021
https://twitter.com/Cheeses0fNaz/status/1404464263574573059
https://twitter.com/Cheeses0fNaz/status/1404465996744777731
— Louis Melvin (@loudmouthmelvin) June 14, 2021
— Danny King (@danny__king) June 14, 2021
You get the idea.
Fantastically childish stuff, but hopefully it helps lift the mood a little on an otherwise miserable afternoon for Scotland, who will now turn their attentions to Friday night’s game with England at Wembley.
