Who is to blame for Scotland’s Euro 2024 failure? Star players, squad players and the manager

Clarke was dealt a poor hand at Euro 2024 with a spate of injuries and an ageing squad, but his team have not performed in their two tournament appearances and Scotland’s World Cup bid may need a new voice

So Scotland’s Euro 2024 campaign peaked before the football began. While the Scottish hordes endeared themselves in Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart, the Scottish team laboured and floundered: wretched against Germany, industrious against Switzerland, impotent against Hungary. There was a hard-luck story in the penalty that wasn’t but it is hard to claim a side with three shots on target in the entire group and two goals – one a bizarre own goal, another a deflection – ought to progress.

Which leaves the images of John McGinn’s attempts at Bavarian country dancing as the moment that seemed to sum up much that is right about his country: no Scotland, no party, and if the party involves three knee-slapping locals in distinctly unusual hats, then McGinn was going to join in.

Sadly, the vice-captain didn’t have quite the same impact on the pitch. The talisman was muted, Super John McGinn less than super. For many in the Scotland set-up – from manager Steve Clarke to the cornerstones of the team to the lesser lights – this was a chastening tournament. Amid the cruelty of the late defeat to Hungary, Scotland could feel they merited two points in Euro 2024. But they did not deserve any more, and their target was four. If they expected an opening defeat to Germany, they did not see the manner of a 5-1 embarrassment coming. It ranks as the worst display of the tournament so far.

There may be blame to be shared around. Of the supposedly great Scots, perhaps the relentless Scott McTominay – their only scorer, given Antonio Rudiger got them off the mark with an own goal – acquitted himself best. The luckless Kieran Tierney’s Euro 2024 was curtailed by injury. Andy Robertson can look world class in a Liverpool shirt has not done in two European Championships captaining his country.

Scotland exited the tournament at the hands of Hungary (Getty Images)

Then Scotland always needed the less garlanded individuals to overperform, for Championship players and understudies to become bastions of solidity. But Ryan Porteous looked outclassed when a dangerous lunge at Ilkay Gundogan brought a penalty, a red card and an early end to his competition. Angus Gunn was at fault for Germany’s first and fifth goals (and was fortunate when he was culpable for a Switzerland strike that was chalked off). Anthony Ralston had a torrid time against Germany and then presented Xherdan Shaqiri with the ball for his (admittedly exquisite) strike in Stuttgart.

Ralston, though, could have been the third-choice right-back if everyone else was fit. Scotland needed Aaron Hickey or Nathan Patterson available; preferably both. They could feel unfortunate by the end, without Lewis Ferguson, Lydon Dykes, Ben Doak and then Tierney, even if he was the only guaranteed starter among the injured contingent.

Clarke was dealt a poor hand. At times he played it poorly, though: omitting Billy Gilmour against Germany was a very avoidable error. Scotland were too passive in their first game, standing off the Germans, and their last, showing too little urgency to get the goal they needed against Hungary. Maybe Clarke could have started Lawrence Shankland instead of Che Adams. It might not have made a difference, though.

There is an argument to say Scotland peaked too soon: now they have only won one of their last 12 games, and that was against Gibraltar. Yet their stirring 2023 victories away in Norway and at home to Spain were required to even ensure qualification. They have only reached two of the last 13 tournaments and both were under Clarke. In that sense, he has ended Scotland’s wilderness years; in another, they carry on, with 12 early exits from 12 tournaments. And in most of the others, the knockout stages were limited to eight teams, not 16 from Europe. An expanded European Championships affords an opportunity Wales grasped in 2016 and 2020, Northern Ireland in 2016, but not Scotland in their two attempts.

Scottish players react after the full-time whistle (Getty Images)

Over six tournament games, Clarke’s Scotland have won none and arguably only truly performed twice: in the Euro 2020 draw with England and last week against Switzerland. He has been Scotland’s best manager of the 21st century, has credit in the bank and a contract to 2026, but qualifying for the World Cup will be harder, with fewer slots available. An era may end.

This is not Scotland’s golden generation: Clarke’s predecessors in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s had more talent to call upon. But it is a generation and by Euro 2028 Callum McGregor will be 35, Robertson 34, McGinn 33, Tierney and McTominay 31. Many of Clarke’s stalwarts – Grant Hanley, Stuart Armstrong, Kenny McLean, Jack Hendry, Ryan Christie, perhaps Adams and Dykes – may not have another European Championships in them.

Is there a similar group waiting to take their place? Probably not. Perhaps that reinforced the Tartan Army’s determination to have a good time in Germany. They certainly did. But a problem for Scotland is that they are getting more compliments because of their fans than their team.