Scenes from Celtic F.C. vs. Chelsea F.C. at Notre Dame Stadium

Tailgating is illegal in Scotland. It’s not in South Bend, and Celtic F.C. supporters who made the trip took full advantage.

Green-and-white striped kits dominated the parking lots around Notre Dame Stadium, as the Scottish club prepared to play a friendly match on Saturday against England’s Chelsea F.C.

The people wearing them went home happy, both from the experience and Celtic’s 4-1 victory.

“We don’t get anything like this in Scotland, so it’s nice to experience it,” Joseph Campbell, a 21-year-old Celtic fan from Glasgow, Scotland, told Blue & Gold outside the stadium.

Celtic fans gathered outside Gate 10 of the Joyce Center, where supporters could take photos with multiple trophies or listen to former players reminiscing about their time with the team.

Celtic TV host Gerry McCulloch interviewed former players Stylian Petrov and Roy Aitken. Most memorably, Petrov — speaking about his teammate, Henrik Larsson, pulled out this gem.

“When we played like s***, he’ll take us out of that s***,” Petrov said. He was met with cheers.

“They should establish a Celtic village [in South Bend],” Joseph Campbell’s dad Derek Campbell, 56, said. “Reap the income from this stadium, and the supporters spending their money outside the stadium.”

Many North American Celtic fans had an opportunity to see their team in their home continent. Frank Sutherland, 61, is from Glasgow but lives in Toronto, Canada.

“Oh, it’s wonderful,” Sutherland said. “We’ve been here since Thursday. This is a magnificent campus; it’s absolutely beautiful, and as a Catholic, you know what, I’m absolutely enthralled with it.”

How cool was it to see all the green jerseys packing the area outside the stadium?

“It’s like being at home again,” Sutherland said.

As they entered Notre Dame Stadium on a low-80s day without a cloud in the sky, they saw a college football cathedral more than prepared for soccer.

Forget the size of the field and the white lines within that decorated it — although those were different as well. Not much room existed between the sideline and the brick walls as Celtic and Chelsea took the field.

But hoses spraying water on the surface were a first-time sight for locals who watched Saturday’s game.

Notre Dame installed a natural-grass surface for Celtic and Chelsea to play on, complete with ads that look three-dimensional on the ABC broadcast view. Blue Chelsea jerseys decorated the majority of the crowd, but Celtic kits densely packed the stands behind the south end zone.

“CEL-TIC, [clap, clap, clap]. CEL-TIC, [clap, clap, clap],” the Celtic faithful chanted. They stood, chanted and cheered all afternoon.

When their team marched out, the Chelsea supporters on the other side waved their signature blue flags in response.

Celtic supporters draped Irish flags over the on-field barriers. They flew a Canadian flag as well and even a Japanese flag, perhaps a show of support for star forward Kyogo Furuhashi. And of course, a blue-and-white Scottish flag made an appearance as well.

Their team gave them reason to cheer early.

Chelsea controlled the first few minutes, but multiple big saves from Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel keep the score knotted at nil. His attackers rewarded that effort by dominating most of the first half, easily breaking through the Chelsea back line and scoring twice.

First, midfielder Matt O’Riley eased the ball past Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez for a 1-0 lead during the 19th minute. Later, in the 33rd minute, O’Riley fed Furuhashi in front for a tap-in goal that doubled Celtic’s lead.

Two more goals in the second half turned it into a blowout.

“We’re on the road again!” Celtic fans sang one of their signature songs. “We’re on the road again! We’re on the road to Paradise!”

For Scottish soccer fans in South Bend on Saturday, it was pretty close.