Scottish bettors are siding with Argentina ahead of Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against England, according to betting data from operator Entain.
Elsewhere in the UK, the wagering patterns show a clear contrast.
Entain figures show that 51% of bets placed by Scottish-based accounts favour Argentina, compared with 34% on England. In England, the trend is reversed, with 53% of bets backing England compared with 30% on Argentina.
Wales is the only other home nation favouring England, with 46% of wagers placed on the hosts. Internationally, Argentina also leads, attracting 37% of bets compared with England's 32%.
Tom Ritzema, Group Trading Director at Entain, said: "Betting activity ahead of the semi-final shows the sporting rivalry between England and Scotland remains as strong as ever. While customers in England are overwhelmingly backing the Three Lions, Scottish support is firmly behind Argentina, with more than half of bets placed by Scottish customers on Lionel Messi's side. It's a striking split and one we've dubbed the 'McMessi effect.'"
Scotland did not qualify for the knockout stage of this World Cup, having been eliminated in the group phase, while England has advanced to face Argentina in Wednesday's semi-final. Argentina's Lionel Messi remains a central figure in the tournament for bettors weighing the outcome.
The figures reflect wagers placed through Ladbrokes and Coral in the lead-up to the match and do not account for bets placed with other operators active in the UK betting market.
The betting split also reflects the broader historical context surrounding the fixture. The football rivalry between Argentina and England dates back to the 1966 World Cup quarter-final, when Argentina captain Antonio Rattín was sent off at Wembley. Refusing to leave the pitch immediately, Rattín sat on the red carpet reserved for Queen Elizabeth II.
Rattín, who died last week aged 89, has been remembered in Argentina ahead of the semi-final.
Argentina vs England (vs Scotland): The history behind the rivalry
The rivalry intensified after the 1982 Malvinas/Falklands War and reached its most iconic chapter at the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored both the "Hand of God" goal and the "Goal of the Century" against England.
England and Argentina have, of course, faced each other at World Cups since. In 1998, David Beckham was famously sent off after kicking out at Diego Simeone. Argentina went on to win the tie on penalties.
Beckham got his revenge – of sorts – four years later, scoring a penalty of his own when England defeated Argentina in the group stages of the 2002 World Cup.
But never have the stakes been higher since that 2002 meeting. In more ways than one.
Argentina also has longstanding cultural ties with Wales, whose settlers established the Welsh colony of Y Wladfa in Patagonia in 1865, a connection that continues to be celebrated today.
Ritzema is among the industry leaders featured in Global Gaming Insider's three-part documentary How to Win the World Cup: The Evolution of Sports Betting.
Antonio Rattín's dismissal against England at the 1966 World Cup was one of the incidents that inspired the introduction of yellow and red cards
