Belle and Sebastian release Scottish World Cup Anthem

Scottish indie-pop band Belle and Sebastian have released their World Cup Anthem 'It Only Takes One Lion'.

Written following Scotland's 4-2 qualifying win against Denmark last November, it premiered at London's Royal Albert Hall as part of the band's anniversary world tour for their first two albums, Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister.

The song looks back at singer Stuart Murdoch's personal relationship with the national team as a supporter of Ayr United, a team in the Scottish leagues, and celebrates Scotland's qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a 28-year absence from the tournament.

"It's a personal song about following the travails of Scotland's national team for the last 50 years, and it came out naturally the day after the game against Denmark," said Murdoch, "The song tries to encompass the experience of the whole country following Scotland."

Belle and Sebastian are continuing their worldwide tour, performing the two albums in full during a series of two-night stands across venues in Europe, North America, Mexico, Australia and Asia.