Germany vs Scotland LIVE: Result and final score from Euro 2024 opener

If the start to 2006 was a famous “summer fairytale” for Germany, this could be the beginning of an even better story. It doesn’t want for youthful joy, either, as witnessed by the standing ovation for Jamal Musiala. For Scotland, there was only grim reality. There were some familiarities to that, too.

They at least had something like a belated shot, and a goal, to at least make this 5-1. It could really have been so much worse. It couldn’t have gone much better for Germany.

This opening game of Euro 2024 had the feel of a properly big event beforehand, as illustrated by Sir Alex Ferguson’s message before a raucous Flower of Scotland, but he had to witness an occasion that solely became about how big the defeat would be. Scotland were fortunate to escape with a mere four-goal loss. Everyone else was fortunate to witness Musiala.

Is it too soon for the meme from Trainspotting? It feels like it should be too soon for the meme from Trainspotting.

But after Scotland made the worst possible start to their Euro 2024 campaign, in a nightmare opening defeat to the hosts Germany in Munich, Ewan McGregor’s Renton may have an addition to his iconic monologue on Scottishness.

Scotland never win anything, we are the lowest of the low, and after 45 minutes of their biggest game in 26 years, we head into half-time three goals down, a player down, no shots, no corners, no nothing. Thank you Antonio Rudiger, you are our only hope.

Souness, who won over 50 caps for Scotland and represented them at the 1978, ‘82 and ‘86 World Cups, decried his national side as being so poor as to not really being able to give a good gauge of whether Germany had actually performed well or not.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke speaking to ITV: “Germany were outstanding and we couldn’t match them. The first half ran way from us very quickly, we didn’t give ourselves a foothold.

“Defensively, we weren’t very good and on the ball we weren’t very good so we gave ourselves a difficult night. I thought in the second half the ten men were manful, managed to nick goal, we’re disappointed to lose the fifth.

“What we need to do is still in front of us. Now it’s all about reaction so let’s see how they react. Four points is the target. I said that from the start. We didn’t get any tonight so it’s still the target from the next two games.”

Germany substitutes Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can added to the rout in the second half, and although Scotland scored a late consolation when Germany defender Antonio Rudiger headed into his own net, it was a night to forget.

Ally McCoist, the last player to score in a Scotland win at the Euros, gave his reaction on ITV after the match saying: “Scotland have to change their mentality ahead of their next two games. It was poor, Germany excellent, Scotland poor.

“What they did as a front four, starting high then dropping off into pockets of space was something we never handled at all. We never came to terms with Germany’s switch of play.

“Scotland have to get balls into the box, get players forward. There has to be a completely different approach.

“From Scotland’s point of view, it should be slightly easier now as I don’t believe the other two teams will be at the same standard as Germany. They are good teams, but not as good as Germany.”

The roar in the Allianz Arena could have greeted a goal. Instead, it simply soundtracked the emergence of the German squad from the tunnel, 45 minutes before kick-off.

Seconds later, it was the tourists’ turn in Munich, as the Scots welcomed their players onto the turf with a battle cry from behind one goal. Around the other three walls of this Bavarian behemoth of a structure, the crescendo of German whistles amounted to a fierce screech at Steve Clarke’s men.

These sounds, these swells of sincere excitement and stabs of pantomime hostility, had been absent from the opening games of major tournaments in recent years.

There was no such ambience at the soulless World World Cup curtain-jerker in Qatar, two winters ago; there was no such passion in the half-filled stands of a Covid-crippled Rome, as Euro 2020 began 12 months late before playing out all around Europe; two summers earlier, Moscow could not offer the intensity felt in Munich here.

Germany enjoyed the biggest win by a host nation in their opening match at a European Championship tournament and their biggestvictory ever at the Euros.

Tonight’s game between Germany and Scotland was the first match in European Championship history to see a red card, a penalty scored and an own goal scored.

Toni Kroos completed 99% of his passes against Scotland (101/102); the highest completion rate on record (since 1980) by any player to attempt 100+ passes in a game at the Euros.