Brechin schoolboy ‘ecstatic’ after winning chance to lead Scotland out for Euro 2024 clash

A Brechin schoolboy says he is “ecstatic” to have won the chance to lead Scotland out before their final Euro 2024 group stage match.

Struan Pirie, 10, will be one of the player escorts for next Sunday’s clash against Hungary in Stuttgart.

The Maisondieu Primary pupil won his place after his dad, software engineer Graeme, entered Lidl’s Kids Team competition.

Graeme said: “Lidl, one of the tournament’s sponsors, held an online competition where participants entered their email addresses through their app.

‘I had totally forgotten about it – then I got an email saying congratulations’

“All you had to do to enter was select the team you supported. To be honest, I had totally forgotten about it.

“A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Lidl saying, ‘Congratulations, you have won a place. Here are the match details for you and your child to attend’.

“To qualify, your child had to be between the ages of six and 10. We put through our details and that was it.”

Graeme had not told his son – a Brechin City supporter – he had entered the competition.

He said: “It was a complete surprise for Struan, I didn’t tell him anything about it.

“With these competitions, you don’t actually think you’re going to win

“He was ecstatic when we told him the news. He’s absolutely over the moon.

“He’s obsessed with football and loves going to Hampden to see Scotland games.”

Pair were ‘resigned to not going’ to Scotland games in Germany

Not only will Struan and Graeme receive free match tickets, Lidl will also cover their flights, accommodation and meals.

The pair will be hoping for an improvement on the national side’s opening 5-1 defeat to Germany.

Graeme said: “We looked into going to Germany ourselves since we’re part of the Scotland Supporters Club (SSC).

“The tickets available to our points level within the SSC were costing €600 each, which I wasn’t willing to pay, so we resigned ourselves to not going.

“I was delighted to find out I had won and would witness my son have such an amazing experience.”