Remember when Academy Award winner Robert Duvall acted as a pundit for the Scottish Cup final?

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 16 Feb 2026 12:39 CST
• 4 min read

News

The 1999 Scottish Cup final was won by Rangers, who defeated arch-rivals Celtic 1-0 at Hampden Park.

With superstars like Henrik Larsson, Lubomir Moravcik, Lorenzo Amoruso and Giovanni van Bronckhorst on show, it was actually Rod Wallace who emerged as the hero, scoring from six yards out not long after the break.

It secured not only the Scottish Cup for Rangers, but a domestic treble along with the Scottish Premier League and the League Cup.

There was also a rather special pundit on duty for the occasion in the BBC Scotland Studios.

Academy Award winner Robert Duvall, who took home the Best Actor Oscar for his role in 1983's Tender Mercies, was in the studio for a short period alongside presenter Dougie Donnely and pundits Ally McCoist and John Collins.

1999 Scottish Cup final pundit, Robert Duvall pic.twitter.com/r9FjTFa1fM

— Shutts (@Shuttsapalooza) February 12, 2026

Duvall and McCoist had been shooting together for 2002's A Shot At Glory. It told the story of striker Jackie McQuillan who signs for fictional Kilnockie FC, who reach their first ever Scottish Cup final despite being in the Second Division.

Another future Academy Award winner, Michael Keaton, co-starred.

In the studio, Duvall referred to an occasion he saw England play Brazil while working in Mexico.

It was clear he had a soft spot for McCoist, too, continually trading playful comments with the former Rangers striker.

A Shot at Glory

How did Duvall come about starring in a movie about football in Scotland, filmed in the Kingdom of Fife?

"The director came up with a writer. You know, we went up there and jumped in there and did it. It happened to be about Scottish football," he revealed years later.

"I do like soccer, football, a lot. The Scottish are good at it but not great," Duvall stated. "Somebody said that when they (the Scots) play Brazil, there is one team that thinks they're the greatest and the other team that knows they're the greatest."

Duvall passed away on 15 February 2026 at his ranch in Virginia, aged 95. "Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort,” his wife, Luciana Duvall, announced in a message on Facebook.

"To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything. His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court.

"For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all."

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