CLAIM:
JD Sports shops “across Scotland have had to put signs up saying they have sold out of [Argentina] jerseys” ahead of the South American team’s World Cup clash with England.
DOORSTEP ANSWER:
This is nothing more than an online rumour sparked by a photo taken in the US.
It is unequivocally false.
WHAT’S THE STORY:
On Wednesday, England and Argentina are set to clash in the World Cup semi-final.
In Scotland, England are seen as key rivals – and there is frequently a back-and-forth between supporters of either side during big tournaments.
There is a something of a Scottish tradition of supporting “anyone but England”. The slogan can be seen in pubs and bars across the country when the English team are playing in the knock-out stages.
Amid a sometimes heated debate about whether or not Scots should be supporting Argentina, a photo emerged online showing a JD Sports store with a sign in the window warning shoppers that they were “out of Argentina jerseys”.
People quickly began quipping that it must have been in Scotland, and numerous news outlets and social media accounts started spreading the rumour that it was.
Accompanying the post with a Scotland flag, TalkSPORT wrote on Facebook: “This JD Sports store has apparently RUN OUT of Argentina shirts ahead of the World Cup semi-final vs England... Taking hate-watching to a whole new level!”
The @SundayShoutsFC account on Twitter/X made the same unverified claim, writing: “A JD Sports store in Scotland has completely sold out of Argentina shirts ahead of the semi-final.”
And another account, @thefootballfeed, took it a step further, claiming: “JD Sports across Scotland have had to put signs up saying they have sold out of jerseys after an influx of demand this week...
“Wasting their benefits on a Argentina shirt to dry their eyes with tomorrow night is wild.”
SO WAS THE PHOTO IN SCOTLAND?
Eagle-eyed Scots will have noticed that the photo shows a reflection of a street that looks nothing like Scotland at all. The pavements are not Scottish, nor is the US-style awning and balcony visible across the street.
John Cross, the chief football writer at The Mirror, then confirmed where the photo had been taken.
“Sorry, but this pic was taken in Kansas City!” he wrote.
Sorry, but this pic was taken in Kansas City! https://t.co/28X5xVv4M4
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) July 14, 2026
So, Missouri. Roughly 4000 miles from Scotland.
FACT-CHECK RATING:
False.
A tip for the England fans who are all too ready to get offended at Scots not backing their team: it will help to check which continent the photo was taken on next time.
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