In a Guardian interview some six months ago, Phillip Lahm, the tournament director for Euros 2024, reminisced over the nervousness that preceded the last time a major football tournament arrived in Germany, that being the 2006 World Cup. That nervousness transfigured into a month-long euphoria, dubbed "Sommermarchen", when Lahm, then 22, scored a picturesque goal against Costa Rica in the opening match at Munich. Near the end of the interview, he considered whether another rising German talent could make history and put "Die Mannschaft" back on the tracks of glory with an early goal in the opener of the upcoming tournament at the Munich Arena.
His prayers were answered when Florian Wirtz opened Germany's account in the 10th minute, laying down the foundations to a 5-1 rout against Scotland, in the opening group stage match of the 2024 UEFA European Championship at Munich. In almost the same interval, Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich fame doubled the lead, before Havertz virtually finished the tie with a coolly dispatched penalty in the dying embers of the first half. Scotland showed more enterprise in the second half as Germany decided to stave off the gas pedal, but barring a consolatory own-goal scored by Antonio Rudiger, the Tartan Army faced more despair in the form of goals provided by the veteran pair of Nicklas Fullkrug and Emre Can.
In terms of narrative, there was certainly no dearth; being only the second time the Scots have qualified for the Euros in the 21st century, the captain Andrew Robertson and head coach Steve Clarke were vocal about their intentions to "make history" by progressing to the knockout stages, with their scopes firmly on the anxious, fallen giant that is Germany, a nation currently under socio-political and footballing turmoil, perpetually blessed with world-beating talent, yet petering out in the early stages of major tournaments for nearly a decade.
Just like "Sommermarchen 1.0", Euros fever isn’t nearly as strong in Germany, as compared to those confident in their team's chances like England and Scotland, with the travelling fanbase's attempts at transforming the town squares in Munich into Little Edinburgh going viral on social media. Most importantly, however, the two teams haven't translated their respective optimism and confidence on the pitch; Germany failed to score against Ukraine, while Scotland started their Euros journey with just one win in nine matches. Consequently, most were expecting a Mexican standoff, both teams unwilling to be the first to flinch, with even the smallest mistakes being vital for survival in a tough group also consisting of Hungary and Switzerland.
Unfortunately for Scotland, Germany were intent at showing that they’ve left their recent failings in the past from the very first minute, when Rudiger spotted the run of Wirtz, suddenly one-on-one with Scotland keeper Angus Gunn, who successfully rushed out to smother the shot. Wirtz was eventually flagged offside, but the message was clear; Germany were not simply looking to score goals, but score them early. Almost shell shocked by their opposition’s swift possession and combination play, Scotland meekingly receded into their own box whenever a white shirt had the ball in the final third. At this point, the average German fan would start to feel a bit of deja vu, considering Die Mannschaft's previous failures in breaking down low blocks. Not anymore, it seems. At the 10th minute, we would witness Germany's attacking pattern finally come to fruition; Kroos at the left-back position having ample time to pick out a picture-perfect diagonal to Kimmich at the opposite flank, the perfection almost potent enough to make him slip. The Bayern right-back would answer "Up yours", and send a snooker-hit of a square pass to Wirtz, marauding at the edge of the box, with the Scottish backline was courteous enough to leave him an island of space. His first-time shot, perhaps blessed by Lahm and fate itself, couldn't be stopped by Gunn this time round.
(Wirtz threading the needle to nab Germany’s first goal)
Disappointed, but not deterred, Scotland tried to reply, trying to press Germany high, and even managing to bypass their opposition's press in the 17th minute, background music courtesy of the Tartan Army, bellowing "Flower of Scotland'' at max decibel. The Germans would reply to the fervent expression of Scottish patriotism with a surgical display of possession play in the 19th minute; Scotland tried to maintain a high defensive line to avoid Wirtz and Musiala occupying lucrative pockets of space, but Kroos would somehow find Gundogan amidst the sea of bodies. The Barcelona midfielder then efficiently turned Callum McGregor, as a Barcelona midfielder would, and instantly found Havertz with an incisive through ball. Rather than take a shot from an awkward angle, the Arsenal forward would turn around, and instead lay the ball for Musiala, evading oncoming pressure with the help of some lightning fast feet, before lashing a powerful shot beyond Gunn. The Germans had achieved the perfect start to a major tournament in nearly a decade, prophetically delivered by their twin new hopes.
While Germany was on the cusp of unravelling a decade worth of bottled frustrations in a single match, their opponents too joined them in the unravelling, or what is colloquially known as "losing their heads". In the 24th minute, Germany in settled possession, cycled the ball around until it reached the energetic Maximillian Mittelstadt on the left flank, the fullback smashing a square pass to Musiala near the edge of the box. Like a scene lifted out of Looney Tunes, the Scottish defenders mobbed the lone diminutive attacking midfielder, prompting the referee to point to the spot, only to be relieved that the foul occurred outside the penalty area.
However, in a continued comical sense, relief would be short lived; Musiala again became tormentor of Scottish hearts in the 32nd minute, his goal ruled out due to a preceding handball by Havertz. Some 10 minutes later, he would make a dash from the left flank to the right, skipping past one challenge after another, laying the ball for Kimmich to cross. Gundogan would respond to the impeccable delivery with a deft header, initially saved by Gunn but imminently rebounding towards Gundogan. Ryan Porteous, the Scottish defender closest to the German skipper, with the desperation of a cat stuck in a burning apartment, would end the sequence with a crunching two-footed tackle on Gundogan. The referee took merely two glances at the VAR review that followed, handing Porteous a red card and Germany a penalty, which Havertz converted with a skip and a stutter; perhaps the only stutter any German player had that evening.
(Despite the nasty challenge, Gundogan appeared to come out “unscathed”)
Scotland would begin the second half with slightly more conviction, crossing their fingers and the ball in hopes of notching their first shot on target. Musiala, predictably, stomped out any hope, breaking away on the counter in the 49th minute, forcing Anthony Ralston to foul him and earn a yellow card. Musiala would've taken that as an incentive, not that he needed one anyway, given the persistent questions he posed to Ralston for a good chunk of the match. Musiala's dribbling would send shockwaves into the Scottish backline, penning them into their box, leaving space for Wirtz and Gundogan to test Gunn from close quarters around the sixty-minute mark.
Around the same time, Havertz and Wirtz would be replaced by Fullkrug and Sane, both trying to argue against their coach's decision to bench them. A golden opportunity would arrive at the feet for Sane, leading a counterattack with Kimmich shortly after his introduction, but only managing a weak shot straight at Gunn. In the backdrop of Clarke exchanging some heated words with his set-piece coach over his side's troubles making any inroads into the Germany defence, Musiala managed to contribute to his misery with another dribble on the flanks, finding Gundogan at the edge of the box. The German skipper would backheel it instead for Fullkrug, his 110 km/h shot nestling straight into the top-right corner. The Germans weren't only scoring aplenty, but scoring in the same manner, a menacing air of inevitability around them not seen in many years. Almost stunned, it seemed like the Scottish backline was seeing double, and so did Fullkrug—almost—when he managed to tip an oncoming cross from Mittelstadt past Gunn in the 76th minute, only to be denied a brace by being ruled offside by a miniscule margin.
(Fullkrug scoring Germany’s fourth goal; like an action hero with his back to the explosion)
With Clarke using his bench to give his on field players some rest after their relentless chasing, and Sane's own relentless chase for a goal contribution, the match seemed to settle into comatose tempo. That was completely shattered in the 87th minute, with a Scotland freekick somehow looping into the box and bouncing off Rudiger's head and past Manuel Neuer, causing an eruption of cheers and spilled beer amongst the Tartan Army. Perhaps annoyed by the failure to retain a clean sheet, the Germans would strive for more cerebral damage in the third minute of injury time with another example of impeccable possession play. With the Scots almost frozen in a rigid structure, Sane would spot substitute Thomas Muller dart into a hole in the Scottish defence, before passing it back to another substitute, Emre Can, who would curl a delicious shot into the bottom-right corner, slipping past Gunn's gloves. The following full-time whistle felt like mere obligation.
.png)
