SEE Rangers Miserable Embarrassing Tifo before the Old Firm Derby that has turned the Mighty Glasgow giants into a laughing stock across the football world
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MARCH 01: A general view of Rangers fans during a William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on March 01, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group via Getty Images)
March 1, 2026
Rangers’ much-hyped pre-match tifo display at Ibrox was meant to set the tone for dominance in Sunday’s Old Firm derby — but the final result turned the spectacle into a symbol of their ongoing misery.
What was intended as an intimidating visual message to Celtic instead became a mocking backdrop to yet another collapse, as the home side blew a commanding 2-0 lead and were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw that left them looking fragile and exposed.
The tifo — a large-scale choreographed banner display unveiled by the Rangers support before kick-off featured dramatic imagery and messaging aimed at psyching out their rivals. Instead, it served as an embarrassing reminder of unfulfilled promises, with social media and football circles worldwide branding it a “cringe-worthy flop” and a perfect metaphor for Rangers’ current state: big talk, big visuals, but no substance when it matters.
On the pitch, the afternoon started perfectly for the hosts. Youssef Chermiti stunned the Celtic defence with a spectacular overhead kick just eight minutes in, converting Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross to give Rangers the ideal start. Chermiti then doubled the advantage with another clinical finish, leaving the Ibrox crowd dreaming of a statement victory that would close the gap on league leaders Hearts.
But the second half told a very different story. Celtic came roaring back after the break, refusing to wilt under the pressure of the occasion or the pre-match theatre. Reo Hatate eventually salvaged a point for the visitors with a dramatic 91st-minute penalty — his third attempt after two earlier efforts were saved or retaken — to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw.
The late equaliser left Rangers six points adrift of Hearts and only two points clear of Celtic, who hold a game in hand. For a side that entered the derby talking up their resurgence under Danny Rohl, the dropped points felt like another gut punch in a season of underachievement.
Post-match, Rohl tried to put a brave face on the result.
“At the moment, the feeling is more disappointment because you dropped two points after a 2-0 lead,” the Rangers boss told BBC. “It’s always a little bit lucky for a team to get a late penalty. This is normal, I would say it’s the same when we get a penalty late in the game.”
But few were buying the excuses. The tifo that was supposed to inspire fear instead became a viral laughing stock — shared, memed and ridiculed across football Twitter, Reddit and beyond. Once one of the most feared names in Scottish football, Rangers now find themselves reduced to punchlines, with the pre-match display standing as a humiliating monument to their decline.
What was billed as a show of strength ended up highlighting the opposite: a club struggling to live up to its own hype, while Celtic once again proved they can thrive in the cauldron of Ibrox and walk away with their heads held high.
The Mighty Glasgow giants? Right now, they’re looking anything but
