Mustapha SheiduRyan Naderi tells scottish cup to give his motm award to his teammate despite his performance
In a memorable moment of sportsmanship following Rangers’ dominant 8-0 victory over Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup fifth round on February 8, 2026, new signing Ryan Naderi made headlines for his humility off the pitch.
The 22-year-old German striker, who joined Rangers from Hansa Rostock on deadline day, marked his first start for the club in style. Naderi opened the scoring with a powerful header in the eighth minute from a floated corner by captain James Tavernier, then added a second goal early in the second half with another emphatic header. His double helped Rangers demolish their lower-league opponents at Ibrox, avenging last year’s shock defeat to Queen’s Park.
Premier Sports pundit Alan Hutton selected Naderi as the official man of the match (MOTM) for his clinical finishing and aerial threat, which gave Rangers the focal point they had been seeking in attack.
However, during the post-match interview, Naderi showed remarkable modesty. When presented with the award, he immediately declined to keep it, insisting it should go to his captain instead. “No, honestly, I will give it to Tav,” Naderi said, referring to Tavernier by his nickname. He explained that Tavernier had provided assists for his goals and achieved a remarkable personal milestone: his first career hat-trick.
Tavernier, Rangers’ long-serving right-back and leader, netted three times in the rout, orchestrating much of the attacking play from set pieces and open situations. The gesture highlighted the strong team spirit under manager Danny Rohl, with Naderi crediting his skipper’s influence for his own success on debut.
Fans and media quickly praised the classy act, with Premier Sports describing Naderi as “humble as well as talented.” In a match full of goals and dominance, this simple moment of respect between teammates stood out, underlining why Rangers remain a force in Scottish football.
Hakeem Yusuf
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