After 26 years, Scotland are playing at a major tournament abroad once more. But as they faced hosts Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024, their performance was not befitting of such a momentous occasion.
A German side inspired by 21-year-old attacking midfielders Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala got their home European Championship off to a flying start, with their largest ever victory at the tournament, and the biggest ever on opening night.
Scotland were always going to be huge underdogs facing a Germany squad with countless club honours at club level this season alone. Add in the absences of Aaron Hickey, Lyndon Dykes and Lewis Ferguson, and recent poor form and it was clear just how up against it they were. Things would have to go perfectly if they were to frustrate the Germans in the same way they did Spain at Hampden 15 months ago. But the tone of the night was set by a warning shot from Florian Wirtz inside the first minute, which Angus Gunn had to block, unaware it was offside.
Julian Naglesmann lined the hosts up in their recently adopted 4-2-3-1 formation, with Wirtz and Musiala playing as inside forwards. Whilst Steve Clarke’s side set up in a 5-4-1. This formation is not unusual for Scotland, becoming a 3-4-2-1 in possession, but the narrow nature of the shape was, and it gave Germany an invitation to attack down the flanks. With this tactic, Scotland shot themselves in the foot, with it seeing them behind after ten minutes.
Toni Kroos played a delicious diagonal out to Joshua Kimmich, who had ventured forward from right back, and the Bayern man had time and space to slide a pass across the edge of the box for Wirtz, who had easily shrugged off his marker in Anthony Ralston, to strike first time. Angus Gunn got a hand to it, and perhaps should have done better. But that was irrelevant. Germany had lift off.
Okay, a blip, perhaps? Scotland needed to regroup and alter their shape. Only ten minutes had gone, they could still get back into this game. But that soon changed, after another patient passing move illustrated by Toni Kroos. The Real Madrid man found captain İlkay Gündoğan, who spun and found Kai Havertz in the inside left channel. The Arsenal man could have shot when reached the edge of the six-yard box but opted to cut the ball back for Jamal Musiala in the middle, who would make no mistake from 15 yards.
After Germany had a penalty decision overturned, with VAR showing a foul just outside the box, the Tartan Army breathed a collective sigh of relief. But their worst fears came true on the stroke of half time, compiling what had been a miserable first half in which Clarke’s side failed to have a shot. With Gündoğan set to shoot from six yards out, Ryan Porteous had to make a challenge, but it was abysmal. The Watford defender got the ball, and the Barcelona midfielder’s leg with his right boot, whilst his left also clattered Gündoğan. Porteous received his marching orders, and Kai Havertz stepped up to the spot, finding the bottom left corner after a stutter-step. If it hadn’t already been on the minds of those in the Scottish camp, there was now real concern amongst fans that this could get embarrassing.
This was seemingly the thought process of Manager Steve Clarke. With his side a defender down, centre back Grant Hanley came on for the second half. Lone striker Ché Adams going off appeared to signal damage limitation.
After much success with their high pressing approach in the first half, Germany slowed the pace of their play down in the second. They were comfortable, as was indicated by the number of long shots attempted; it was as if players were dreaming of being on the back page to mark a historic occasion?
The fourth goal came in the 68th minute, from Dortmund’s Niclas Füllkrug, who had not long come on for Kai Havertz. Füllkrug is always profiled as a classic number nine, a throwback. And he showed his strikers’ instinct here. The ball flicked back to him by Gündoğan, the number nine unleashed a thunderous finish into the top right corner. A perfect strike.
Füllkrug thought he had a second when he bundled the ball over the line after Angus Gunn parried his initial effort from six yards. But the goal was disallowed, the striker having been offside when receiving Thomas Müller’s cross.
Scotland got a consolation goal with three minutes to play. Robertson’s free kick deep to the front post from the left was headed on by McTominay. Substitute Scott McKenna rose for it, but the ball instead deflected in off Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger.
Germany’s four goal advantage would be restored in stoppage time, through substitute Emre Can. The Dortmund man was only called up to the squad a couple of days ago as an emergency replacement but made his mark by beautifully curling the ball into the bottom right corner from 22 yards.
Analysis: Germany show their class as Scotland are undone.
Having failed to win a knockout game at a major tournament in eight years, Germany will be hoping to do a lot better on home soil this summer. This squad has a different feel to Germany squads of old, manager Julian Nagelsmann (aged just 36) has picked a squad on form in large part after a historic season which saw Bayer Leverkusen go unbeaten whilst winning the domestic double. With big omissions such as Dortmund skipper Mats Hummels, the onus is on exciting young talents such as Wirtz and Musiala to deliver, alongside players who have come into their own this season such as Stuttgart’s Max Mittelstädt. It remains to be seen just how good this German side are: have this new look side put their nations’ recent woes to bed. But there was obvious class on display. Die Mannschaft’s front four thrived by pressing high and then finding pockets of space in possession, Scotland unable to deal with Musiala and Wirtz. And then there was Toni Kroos. The 34-year-old midfielder won his sixth Champions League with Real Madrid a couple of weeks ago and has already announced that he will retire from football after the Euros. He showed a supreme level of footballing intelligence as he roamed the pitch, pinging passes as if he was on the training ground. The tenacity of Robert Andrich and then Pascal Groß helped cover for any athletic deficits, but technically he’s still one of the best in the world. The definition of retiring at the top.
The opening game was never one Scotland were expected to win by any stretch, but to suffer their heaviest major tournament defeat in 70 years is a nightmare start. The job of the Scots was always going to be frustrate your opponents and grab a goal on the counter. Once the first goal went in, getting anything from the game looked a tall order, Scotland unable to escape their own half in their limited possession (27%). Tasked with defending against another world class full back in Joshua Kimmich, Andrew Robertson was bever going to be given the same license to venture forward as he would in some qualifiers, but Scotland didn’t create anything down the left. Whilst on the right, Anthony Ralston, was similarly pinned back by Mittelstädt, and also lacked an obvious passing option ahead of him with the midfield narrow in an attempt to stop the ball reaching Musiala and Wirtz. Ralston only played 895 league minutes in 2023-24, so can somewhat be forgiven for looking shaky at times. But with this in mind, if they are to create in the next couple of games, Scotland must allow Robertson and Tierney to get on the ball and create down Scotland’s left.
Billy Gilmour would be a welcome addition to the side – due to his abilities to retain possession and progress the play. On the occasion that Scotland did attempt to get the ball up the pitch, it was lumped long for Adams in a manner that would be more suited to Lawrence Shankland, who I wouldn’t be surprised to see start next time out. This inability to keep hold of the ball for a period of time meant that Scotland couldn’t take a moment to breathe, and further limited the opportunity for Robertson to venture down the left, or for Scott McTominay to advance up the pitch in the hope of crashing into the box and scoring as has become his trademark.
It's clear there were some tactical errors from Scotland, but again, this is not make or break. It is not necessarily the result that will disappoint supporters, but the manner of it. The German team has a collective 13 Champions League Winners medals, compared to Andy Robertson’s one in the Scotland camp, and this is just one measure of the gap between the sides. Scotland can still reach the knockout stage for the first time. Their goal difference having taken a hit, Scotland will likely need four points to progress, as was Steve Clarke’s pre-tournament target. For now, their 28-year winless run at major tournaments, stretching back to their 1-0 win over Switzerland at Euro ’96 goes on.
Who’s up next? Switzerland on Wednesday.
Germany (4-2-3-1): Neuer (GK); Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Mittelstädt; Andrich (Groß 46’), Kroos (Can 80’); Musiala (Müller 74’), Gündoğan (C) Wirtz (Sané 63’); Havertz (Füllkrug 63’).
Scotland (3-4-2-1): Gunn (GK); Hendry, Porteous (RED 45’), Tierney (McKenna 77’); Ralston, McTominay, McGregor (Gilmour 67’), Robertson (C); , McGinn (McClean 67’), Christie (Shankland 82’); Adams (Hanley 46’).
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