Scotland’s coach, Steve Clarke, has told his team to “fear no one” as they prepare for their first match against the host nation, Germany, in the Euro 2024 tournament in Munich.
Clarke aims to make history by leading Scotland into the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.
However, they face a strong challenge against Germany, a team that has won the European Championship three times.
“We have a lot of respect for the host nation and we know they’re a good team. It’s a difficult game. One of the mantras I’ve had is respect everyone and fear no one,” Clarke said.
This is Scotland’s fourth appearance in the Euros. In their past attempts, they have never made it past the group stage.
The team did well in the qualifying rounds, beating teams like Spain and Norway, but they struggled before finally winning against Gibraltar last week.
Clarke emphasized that his focus is on reaching the knockout stages rather than just the opening game.
“We know it’s a big game, but it’s the opening game of a four-team section. We know what we need to do to qualify,” he stated.
Scotland’s captain, Andy Robertson, pointed out that all the pressure is on Germany, who have not advanced past the last 16 in major tournaments since 2016.
“We’re excited. We know the games are close and we know how fast the tournament can go by you. We can create a bit of history. No real pressure on us, no real expectation from the outside world.
“We’ve waited a long time for this game. Feels like years. We know how much of a challenge it will be,” Robertson said.
Robertson acknowledged the significance of the opening game, saying, “no bigger stage, all eyes will be on us against Germany.”
He also praised the Tartan Army, Scotland’s loyal fans, many of whom have traveled to support the team.
“It feels as if most of the country are here which is crazy, the Tartan Army have been amazing since day one. There’s a lot of them over here and we hope to make them proud. We know they can’t get into the stadium,” he added.
Robertson expected Germany to control much of the game and highlighted their star player, Toni Kroos.
He also shared his positive memories of playing in Munich, where his Liverpool team won 3-1 on their way to the Champions League title in 2019.
“Last time I was at this stadium was a massive win for us. A lot of people wrote us off, to win was incredible. I have a lot of good memories here,” he concluded.
