Euro 2024: Scotland get ready to take on Germany in tournament opener
- Published
The wait for one of the world's biggest football tournaments is finally over.
The European Championship 2024 officially kicks off at 8pm on Friday 14 June, marking the start of a packed month of fierce competition.
The opening match of the Euros will see Scotland take on hosts Germany at the Allianz Arena in Munich, which is the home of Bayern Munich.
Lots of excited Scotland fans, many dressed in vibrant tartan, have travelled over to Germany in the hopes of seeing the team claim a victory against tough opponents.
Both Scotland and Germany are in Group A, alongside Hungary and Switzerland who they'll face later on in the tournament.
Want to know more about the upcoming match? Read on to find out.
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What's been said ahead of the big game?
Some of the Scotland squad have been sharing their thoughts ahead of the match, explaining what it means for the country ahead of such a big game.
"We know that's what's at stake," said captain Andy Robertson ahead of the match.
"We have to be at our best and if we can do that, who knows where we'll be come 23 June."
"I think we should all be proud that we're here," said Scotland manager Steve Clarke.
"It's been a long time since 1998 when we actually travelled abroad to appear in a tournament like this.
"We're proud we've been able to do back-to-back tournaments and hopefully by the end of this we'll be even more proud at having done something a bit more special."
Defender Scott McKenna thinks the fans will be a real boost for the squad.
"It's a great opportunity for them to come and experience a tournament on foreign soil for the first time in a long time," he explained.
"I think the Tartan Army will be very excited, they're travelling in their numbers and I hope we can put in a performance they can be proud of and celebrate as well.
"The ambition is to try and get out of the group, but the only way we can do that is to take it one game at a time. This week we are only focused on Germany."
How are Scotland preparing for the big game?
Scotland have been getting ready for their highly-awaited match against Germany, with their final training session taking place on Thursday morning ahead of the European Championship opener in Munich.
The team were in good spirits, with lots of laughter during their warm up.
The 2024 squad includes several key players to watch out for including Billy Gilmour, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday, John McGinn and captain Andy Robertson who'll be the leader in defence for the Scotland team.
What about the fans?
Scotland fans have been going all out for the team ahead of Friday's game.
Nicknamed the 'Tartan Army', many have been spotted arriving in style, with several wearing kilts.
Thousands have travelled from the UK to Munich, with dedicated supporters having driven, flown or even bussed it to Germany.
An estimated 200,000 fans are expected to head over during the next few weeks of the competition.
More on Scotland at the Euros:
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