THAT’S the first week of the World Cup gone - are you starting to get giddy yet?

Here's a nostalgic theme that might help to stir the juices a bit more as we look back at one of City’s favourite sons and his own special memories of the greatest global tournament.

It was a 26th birthday like no other for Stuart McCall.

He was celebrating it by playing at the World Cup - and scoring as well to put the icing on the cake.

The Bantams legend will never forget June 10, 1990 and that afternoon in Genoa’s Stadio Luigi Ferraris against Sweden.

McCall had ended his first spell as a player at Valley Parade two years earlier with a move to Everton and first division football.

But the Scotland call had come late in terms of forcing his way into Andy Roxburgh’s Tartan army that had qualified for Italy.

McCall had been given his first cap only three months previously in a glamour friendly against world champions Argentina.

He impressed with an energetic display in midfield and set up Stewart McKimmie for the only goal in a notable 1-0 win. Even without Diego Maradona, the visitors were a scalp to get excited about.

McCall had shown enough to keep his place in a run of games leading into the tournament and his place in the final 22 was assured.

They travelled full of optimism - then, typically, came the big let-down.

Costa Rica in the opening group game was viewed as a great chance to make a flying start towards reaching the knock-out stages for the first time.

Instead, it all collapsed as a 1-0 defeat was added to the list of Scottish World Cup infamy.

“We were totally humiliated," rued McCall later. "We had let the country down and we knew it.”

Defeat meant that nothing less than victory would do in their next outing against Sweden. Roxburgh rang the changes but McCall remained in the side.

The birthday boy would recall how the intimidating atmosphere in the tunnel as the teams waited to go on to the pitch went a long way to achieving the result that Scotland desperately needed.

“We were just angry Bravehearts roaring with our teeth out!” he said, in his autobiography The Real McCall.

Suitably cowed, the Swedes fell behind - and guess who should put the pumped-up Scots ahead.

“The plan was for me to sit at the edge of the box if we won a corner,” added McCall.

“Davie McPherson was supposed to win the header at the near post and knock it on for wee Mo (Johnston) to shoot.

“Sure enough, Gordon Durie picked out big Slim McPherson and from where I was, where I was supposed to stay, I just gambled and got in front of Mo and poked the ball in from three yards out.”

It would prove to be McCall’s only international goal but what timing for himself and for Scotland.

The pressure had lifted and they doubled the lead through Johnston’s penalty after Roy Aitken had been fouled.

Sweden did manage to pull one back but the Scots saw it through for their first win in a major international finals for eight years - and one that kept them in the mix to avoid the traditional early plane home.

A point was needed from the final game in Turin - against Brazil.

It was the ultimate test facing one of the big favourites but Scotland stood toe to toe in a fierce battle.

Jim Leighton plunged to save at the feet of Romario and Murdo McLeod took a Brazilian free-kick full in the face with such force that he was helped off with concussion not knowing what day it was.

Aitken went close with a header kicked off the line but Scotland spent most of the game on the back foot.

They saw off Romario, who made way just after the hour for the more physical presence of Muller.

There were just eight minutes to go when the Scottish resistance was finally breached by the scrappiest of goals.

Alemao tried his luck from distance and the shot slithered loose of Leighton’s grasp. Careca was first on to the loose ball and it rolled across to the far post where Muller bundled home from a couple of yards.

Hardly the beautiful game that Brazil preach and the ugliest of outcomes for Scotland. Johnston had a late effort turned over the bar by Claudio Taffarel but the dream was over.

McCall left with some reward - a Seiko watch for scoring the sixth fastest goal of the competition. But his World Cup time was up.

Scotland failed to qualify for the USA four years later and despite playing in the Euros in 1992 and 1996, he was axed for France ’98.