Scotland left the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup behind them with a stellar qualifying campaign for Euro 2024.
Clarke’s charges won five matches out of five, beating Spain and Norway, and from then on it was only a matter of time before they punched a ticket to Germany. They finished second behind Spain in Group A. Scott McTominay was the top scorer with seven goals.
Tournament record
Scotland are not regulars at the Euros. This will only be their fourth participation after featuring in the finals in 1992, 1996 and 2020. The common thread is that that they have never progressed to the round of 16. At Euro 2020, they finished bottom of the group with a single point following a goalless draw against arch-rivals England at Wembley. It’s a scenario Scotland will want to avoid this summer.
Star Man
John McGinn is the current top scorer of the team with eighteen goals, but his importance transcends his output in the final third. As captain of Aston Villa, a working-class boy and no ties to the Old Firms, he unites the fan base. He previously played for St Mirren and Hibernian. He has more than half a century of international caps to his name.
The Manager
Steve Clarke has rejuvenated the national team. He took Scotland to their first major finals since 1998 by claiming a ticket for Euro 2020 and the team’s transformation didn’t end there. Heading to Germany, Scotland have reached back-to-back European championships.
Clarke was an assistant of both José Mourinho at Chelsea and Kenny Daglish at Liverpool. He had spells at West Brom and Reading as head coach, but his work at Kilmarnock between 2017 and 2019 was perhaps the most eye-catching.
What can we expect
No Scottish team has emerged from the group stage of the Euros or World Cup, so the equation is simple: can Steve Clarke’s team break the glass ceiling in Germany? The tournament expansion helps with four third-place finishers progressing to the knock-out stage.
The team still relies on quintessential Scottish virtues: modesty, hard work and team spirit. At the same time, the team boasts enough quality with Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor, John McGinn and Scott McTominay, who have all developed into experienced players. Scotland’s midfielders supply the majority of goals.
Clarke and his men will be backed by the famous Tartan Army, who are expected to be the largest traveling fan group in Germany. They will need every support they can get: their tournament debut will be a baptism of fire against Germany in the Euro 2024 curtain raiser. They will need to get points from their matches against Hungary and Switzerland.
Recent results have somewhat overshadowed their excellent qualifying campaign, but Scotland no longer simply play with hope – they feel that they belong.
Schedule
Friday, June 14 – Germany – Scotland – Munich Football Arena, Munich, 9 pm
Wednesday, June 19 – Scotland – Switzerland – Cologne Stadium, Cologne, 9 pm
Sunday, June 23 – Scotland – Hungary – Stuttgart Stadium, Stuttgart, 9 pm