Scotland
Turning spirit into success...
Scotland is well known in football for having a rich history and a passionate fanbase. We see this passion week in week out in the Scottish Premiership, a fierce and cut-throat league, filled with heated fanbases. Celtic FC and Rangers FC, based in Glasgow, are the two biggest and most successful clubs in Scottish football, with a fierce rivalry known as the Old Firm derby. These clubs have dominated Scottish football for much of its history, although other clubs like Aberdeen, Hearts, and Hibernian have also had periods of success. The Old Firm derby is one of the most heated rivalries in the UK. The matches between these two teams are not only about football but also carry religious and political significance, showing the divide between Catholic and Protestant communities in Glasgow.
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The Scottish national team have struggled in recent years, with Scotland having failed to qualify for a World Cup since 1998, and their qualification for Euro 2020 was their first major tournament since that world cup in ’98. Despite this lack of international success in recent years, Scotland has retained a proud footballing tradition and continues to produce talented players who often go on to have successful careers in leagues across the UK and Europe. In their qualifying campaign for the tournament, they qualified ahead of Norway who possessed players such as Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland, and showed glimpses of real quality managing to beat Spain in Hampden Park.
Going into Euro 2024, the Scottish team can go in with the underdog attitude before playing the hosts on the opening night of the tournament. With all the pressure on Germany, the Tartan army will know there are no expectations of coming away from Munich with a result. With Switzerland and Hungary also to face, there is always a chance of Scotland progressing through to the Round of 16 with some luck, grit and determination. However, if we look at their overall opportunities, I see more of a chance of Scotland gaining independence in 2024 than them being a contender for Euro 2024! Even after viewing such a convincing qualifying campaign, their squad depth and elite calibre of the squad remains to be seen. The Scottish supporters are flying to Germany with the mindset that just being there is a success and everything else is merely a bonus.