Liam Scales’ remarkable rise continued on Thursday night as he scored his first goal for Ireland in their UEFA Nations League clash against Finland.
The goal came from a perfectly delivered free kick by Robbie Brady. Brady whipped the ball into the box, where Scales cleverly peeled away from his marker. Positioned on the edge of the six-yard box, he rose to meet the ball with a powerful header, directing it straight into the top right corner. The equaliser brought Ireland level, and it was a moment to savour for Scales.
This international milestone comes just a month after Scales netted his first-ever Champions League goal during Celtic’s victory over Slovan Bratislava.
From being overlooked in the squad when Brendan Rodgers came in, to now being an integral part of both Celtic and Ireland’s defensive line-up, Scales’ trajectory has been inspiring. Once viewed as a fringe player, he’s now a consistent performer who has proved many of his doubters wrong.

The defender did have a blip last weekend against Ross County when he commuted a blatant hand ball in the box to give the home side a penalty which they converted. His teammates bailed him out on that occasion with Celtic getting a very late win.
Scales’ rise has been a story of persistence and hard work. His performances for Celtic in recent months have shown he’s more than capable at the highest level, and now his efforts are being recognised on the international stage as well.