ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP

EURO 2024 Germany vs Scotland: All you need to know

The wait is over! On Friday, the football party finally gets underway. In the first match at EURO 2024, host nation Germany meets Scotland. Germany, who are the most successful nation in the competition’s history, are one of the favourites to win EURO 2024. Scotland, on the other hand, are participating in just their fourth European Championship and have never managed to advance past the group stage. Will the Scots surprise us all, or will the host nation kick off the tournament with a win?

For match schedules and TV broadcasts for EURO 2024:

–> See a full overview of upcoming EURO 2024 fixtures
–> See a full overview of Sport on TV

Match Information

Preview of Germany vs Scotland

Host nation Germany will take on Scotland at the Allianz Arena in Munich for the opening match this Friday at 20:00. Although Germany have not gone all the way in a European Championship since 1996, they have a history of performing at a high level in the tournament and are therefore one of the favourites to win EURO 2024.

Germany qualified as the host country, meaning they did not play a single qualifying match in the lead up to the tournament. During friendlies, things have looked quite shaky at times, including their meeting with Ukraine which ended 0-0 despite Germany dominating for the majority of the game. The Qatar World Cup fiasco will also still be fresh in their minds and might add to the pressure going into EURO 2024.

It is also worth mentioning that Germany fired their manager Hansi Flick less than a year before the Euroepean Championship and replaced him with another former Bayern Munich manager, Julian Nagelsmann. To sum up, it’s been a rather turbulent time for the host nation, but that does not take away from the fact that they are littered with world class players all over the pitch. The likes of Toni Kroos, Antonio Rudiger, and Florian Wirtz are just a few of the many standout names.

Scotland’s Fourth European Championship Entry

Scotland qualified for the Euros by finishing second in Group A behind Spain after five straight wins. Much of their success in qualifying for the tournament must be attributed to players like Scott McTominay and John McGinn, both of whom scored a combined total of 10 goals.

As previously mentioned, the team has never managed to progress past the group stages before, and many of us are excited to see what they have in store this time around. Can Steve Clarke take this Scotland side one step further into the knockouts?

Scotland have several experienced players in their squad who play at a very high level. Liverpool’s Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, and John McGinn are perform weekly in the Premier League. Ahead of the game against Germany, Scotland have gone seven straight games without a win, which is not the confidence boost they will be looking for. However, this Scotland side have proven that they have what it takes to compete at a high level, and we are certain that they will be more than ready on the day to give it a good go.

Who will win the opening match?

Ultimately, due to the occasion, the German’s being the host nation, and the sheer quality in their squad, we see Germany emerging victorious despite Scotland’s best efforts to spoil the party. That said, Scotland will not make it easy, and a strong start from them could lead to a difficult night for Germany.

Potential Starting Elevens for Germany vs Scotland

There is an incredible amount at stake for Germany and Scotland. Below is a closer look at the expected starting lineups for both sides at the Allianz.

Germany Probable Starting XI

• Formation: 4-5-1
• Team: ter Stegen, Rüdiger, Tah, Gosens, Henrichs, Wirtz, Goretzka, Gündogan, Gnabry, Sane, Füllkrug

Scotland Probable Starting XI

• Formation: 5-4-1
• Team: Gunn, Robertson, Hickey, Hendry, McKenna, Tierney, McTominay, McGregor, McGinn, Christie, Dykes

FAQs