Scotland fans pay tribute to Alex Salmond with minute's applause

Everyone came together to applaud, honoring Salmond.

Scottish football supporters honored the former first minister by observing a minute of applause before the Scotland versus Portugal game.

Fans were invited to participate in a tribute to honor Alex Salmond, who was noted for being a "dedicated supporter of the national team and often went to their games."

The Scottish team and their coach, Steve Clarke, along with the Portuguese players, participated in the applause.

The founder of the Alba Party, former SNP leader, and first minister passed away from a heart attack while participating in a conference in North Macedonia on Saturday.

Following the heartfelt acknowledgments for Salmond in the House of Commons on Monday, the Scottish Football Association announced that there will be a moment of applause before the Scotland vs. Portugal match at Hampden on Tuesday night.

Alex Salmond was an enthusiastic supporter of the Tartan Army and was present at various games, including the European Championships in Germany this past summer.

The announcement of his passing at the age of 69 came while the Scotland men's team was playing against Croatia in Zagreb.

The SFA expressed their sympathies to Salmond's family and mentioned that they were "saddened" by the news of his passing just before the match.

Spectators throughout the stadium were observed clapping their hands during the minute.

Authorities in North Macedonia have announced that arrangements are in progress to return Salmond's body to Scotland, confirming that it is prepared for transportation.

The North Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the preparations for the repatriation process have been finalized and that they are now awaiting details about the departure time from the Scottish authorities.

Supporters of Salmond, such as Conservative MP David Davis, have been urging the UK government to permit the RAF to transport his body to Scotland.

This summer, Alex Salmond was among the countless supporters from Scotland who gathered in Germany.

However, the BBC believes that it's improbable a British military plane will take part in the repatriation process. Typically, such operations are only used for Royal Family members.

The UK Foreign Office announced that it is offering assistance to Salmond's family and is communicating with local officials as well as the Scottish government.

The Scottish government has been in frequent talks with the Foreign Office regarding assistance for the family and the process of bringing them back home.

The ex-first minister was in Ohrid, North Macedonia, for a conference hosted by the Academy for Cultural Diplomacy (ACD). On Saturday afternoon, while having lunch with fellow delegates, he suddenly collapsed.

Paramedics arrived on the scene and tried to resuscitate him with CPR, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Chris McEleny, the general secretary of the Alba Party, traveled to the city after Salmond passed away.

He urged the UK government to allow his body to be transported directly to Scotland, as this would be much faster than taking a commercial flight.

In an interview with BBC Scotland's Drivetime show, he said, "We need to bring him back home as soon as we can for the sake of his family and friends."

"Considering everything he has done for Scotland, I believe this is the minimum we can offer in return."