The Guardian: A new Scotland is unburdened by history but must look beyond Germany

The opening match of the European Championship sees Scotland take on hosts Germany. Ahead of the game, The Guardian published an opinion piece arguing that this Scottish team will present a fresh image and has the potential to make history.

The article states: Scotland, appearing in their fourth Euros, are not here to merely please others; they have had enough of watching continental tournaments from home. Their past record of never advancing from the group stage no longer weighs on this unorthodox Scottish team, as it is a new, atypical iteration.

Illustrating the atypicality, the piece points out that under Clarke, a typical Scotland team would not have defeated Serbia in a penalty shootout to qualify for the previous Euros; nor would they have pulled off a legendary victory over Norway with two late goals in Oslo last June. Clarke and his players have ample reason and examples to defy clichés, even as he says his team has nothing to lose, with the worst-case scenario being elimination at the group stage, just like before. But in this expanded Euros, if Wales and Northern Ireland could advance from their groups, so can Scotland.

Scotland won’t be intimidated by Germany, with the opening-match pressure firmly on the hosts. However, Scotland must respect Switzerland, whose tournament experience and track record command attention. The same applies to Hungary, with their encounter potentially impacting the group’s qualification landscape.

Clarke’s preparations have been disrupted by injuries, but the core of his team – including Tierney, Robertson, McGregor, Gilmour, McInnes, and McTominay – remains intact. In the opener, Gilmour might be overshadowed by the legendary Toni Kroos, but he won’t be overawed. Scotland can view the match against Germany as a valuable test of atmosphere, preparing them for what lies ahead.

Regardless, the fans’ actions speak louder than words. At 60, Clarke’s greatest achievement to date has been winning back the support of fans who had lost interest due to the team’s struggles. The大规模 Scottish travel to Germany because they finally see a glimmer of hope.