In the city that proclaims itself the birthplace of the automobile, there was something deeply irritating about Scotland clawing its way to an early exit from Euro 2024.
The streets of Stuttgart are dotted with Mercedes-Benz monuments, praising the history and power of the German automobile giant, as well as being home to a massive factory that serves as the company’s headquarters.
However, you wouldn’t suspect this Scottish outfit would have scored highly in terms of horsepower. This is a team that never got out of second gear, not just last night, but throughout the entire tournament.
Scotland began this Euro choking on German exhaust on opening night in Munich as the hosts stepped on the accelerator and disappeared over the horizon in a five-goal charge.
In this decisive clash against Hungary, on a night that demanded much more urgency and attacking intent, Steve Clarke’s men finished the tournament as they began: with a whimper.
Scotland was defeated 1-0 by Hungary and, in turn, was eliminated from Euro 2024.
The Tartan Army lost in the 100th minute of the match after Kevin Csoboth’s goal
The Hungarian players were overjoyed as they achieved the crucial victory on Sunday.
In a match where they knew they had to win to have any realistic chance of progressing, Scotland were utterly ineffective in attack.
Che Adams was so in need of services up front that the local authorities in Stuttgart would have been forgiven if they had made a public appeal for the Scottish striker’s aid.
The truth of the matter is that Scotland have no business in the knockout stages of a major tournament. Not when they offer so little. The last stages remain the Holy Grail.
The Tartan Army may have gained many new friends over these past few weeks, but the Scottish football team certainly won’t have gained many admirers.
For the second tournament in a row, we’ve stunk up the place. Steve Clarke can be as picky as he wants about it, but that’s the reality.
Scotland has offered absolutely nothing to these Euros as a strike force. Against Germany they had an XG of 0.0, but their blushes were only saved by an own goal from Toni Rudiger.
Against Switzerland, Scott McTominay was credited with the goal, but it was essentially another own goal when the ball bounced off a Swiss defender and high into the net.
The Tartan Army may have gained many new friends over these past few weeks, but the Scottish football team certainly won’t have gained many admirers.
Throughout their matches in Germany, Scotland struggled to create clear-cut opportunities.
Steve Clarke’s team told the nation they wanted to make Euro history but fell short
Clarke’s team have told the nation they want to make history in this tournament, but they have fallen short.
Playing on the front foot continues to be a serious problem for this team. There is a glaring lack of guile and creativity, two qualities that have been evident in many other teams in this tournament.
Scotland went to a party and spent the night looking at her own shoes, uncomfortable and reluctant while others danced around her.
Inevitably, the end result has been that they are one of the first guests asked to leave, lying with empty containers and a stale smell of regret.
It all seemed like a very different story at the beginning of the night. Deafening waves of noise echoed throughout the stadium moments before kick-off, and the Tartan Army delivered another magnificent performance of Flower to Scotland.
Germany has welcomed a Scottish diaspora in recent weeks. The streets have been a heaving mass of human flesh wrapped in tartan and all manner of retro uniforms.
A deafening noise echoed through the stadium moments before the start of the game.
How those traveling fans wished it was Dreamland in Germany as they prepared for a tense and stressful 90 minutes of football.
It may have been billed as the final match in Group A. However, for Scotland, this was the start of knockout football. It was simply win or lose, and everyone knew it.
None more so than Clarke, who made it clear in a pre-match interview that a draw and a total of two points would never be enough to qualify.
In those early exchanges, Scotland probably couldn’t believe how much time they were being given on the ball as the Hungarians sat deep and absorbed the pressure.
It was almost as if Scotland didn’t really know what to do, didn’t know how to act, like Adam Sandler or Steve Carell trying to play the lead in a tense psychological thriller.
The victory leaves Hungary in a good position to secure a place in the knockout rounds of the competition.
John McGinn played like a man possessed in midfield and was one of the few to get passing points. But there was no cohesion or art in Scotland’s game.
Clarke finally changed it in the 68th minute, introducing Lawrence Shankland and finally putting Adams out of his misery.
Shankland looked brilliant when he came on and was influential in the last chance which almost saw Grant Hanley snatch victory in the end.
But it was too little, too late. It was mostly desperation. Scotland returns home after a tournament in which they barely fired a shot.