Scotland Men's Football Team

Scotland will be looking for "revenge" when they face Greece in World Cup qualifiers later this year after they were dumped down to Nations League B, says striker George Hirst.

The Ipswich Town forward made his international debut off the bench in the win in Piraeus on Thursday, but struggled to make an impact - along with his team-mates - as a substitute at Hampden in Sunday's woeful defeat.

And the 26-year-old is Hirst is hoping his side can give a better account of themselves when Greece return to Glasgow in October.

"It's definitely not the result we wanted and not the result we planned for," Hirst said.

"We're going to get the chance to have revenge on them a little bit later in the year when they come back for the World Cup qualifiers, so that's the better part.

"They're going to be big games and they're going to improve, we're going to have to improve. They might look at it and go underestimating us next time, which if they do, then fair play to them. We'll be ready for that.

"We didn't get the result this time, but we're fortunate enough that we've got the chance to go and rectify that in a few months."

Hirst reflected on an "awesome" week in camp with Steve Clarke's side and has his eye on the summer friendlies to "cement" his spot.

"It's been an incredible week for myself, I couldn't have enjoyed it more, to be honest," he added.

"Bar the result (on Sunday), it's been absolutely awesome to be a part of it and see how it works. To make my Scotland debut, it's been absolutely massive.

"I'm just really delighted to be here and I hope I can do enough at my club going forward to cement myself in the squad.

"The lads have made me feel so welcome and feel so at home, so that's been wicked. Obviously, it would have been nice to have topped it off with a result, but that wasn't to be. We've got plenty of lessons to learn."

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Scotland must "look at ourselves in the mirror," says defender Grant Hanley after defeat to Greece sealed their relegation to Nations League B.

The Birmingham City centre-half was one of many inside Hampden Park on Sunday night left lost for words at the manner of which Steve Clarke's side crashed out of the top tier of the competition, particularly after Thursday's victory in Piraeus.

"It's still raw and it's really difficult to put a finger on it straight away," the 33-year-old said.

"It'll take time to process and really analyse it, but it's majorly disappointing.

"I'm cautious of not saying too much at the minute because it's emotional and tough to take."

Hanley stressed, though, that this side have suffered setbacks before and their "character" has prevailed. He's adamant it will again.

"We've definitely had some major high moments in the last few years, but here's also been some major lows and I'm sure the squad will prove again, as we have done, that we can bounce back," he added.

"We've got character. I don't think that's something you can ever question."

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• Scotland have conceded 3+ goals in four of their last eight home games in all competitions - as many as their previous 36 beforehand. Indeed, this was their heaviest home defeat since September 2019, when they lost 4-0 to Belgium in qualifying for Euro 2020.

• Aged 18 years and 17 days, James Wilson became Scotland's youngest ever senior debutant, overtaking John Lambie's record (18y 63d) originally set in February 1887 against Ireland.

• Greece have won four consecutive competitive away games for the first time since September 2008.

• Greece enjoyed their biggest win over a side ranked inside Fifa's top 50 since February 2000 when they beat Austria 4-1 in a friendly, and biggest in a competitive international against a top 50 nation since October 1998 against Georgia (3-0).

• Aged 17 years and 124 days, Greece's Konstantinos Karetsas was the youngest player ever to score in the Nations League, surpassing Gavi's record when he netted for Spain against Czechia in June 2022 (17y 304d).

• Scotland's starting XI for this match was the second-oldest any side has named in the this season's Nations League (30 years, 196 days), while Greece's was the second-youngest by any starting XI in this season's tournament (23y 4d).

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Liverpool hope to use 19-year-old Scotland winger Ben Doak as a makeweight in any deal for Bournemouth's 21-year-old Hungary full-back Milos Kerkez or 25-year-old Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo. (Sun), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

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Former Scotland defender Willie Miller: "Sometimes the opposition are just better than you and the Greeks were better. Sorely disappointing, a great performance from Greece and a poor one from Scotland.

"Greece were just a better side, we had no answer for them. We had no creativity and no threat, we didn't make it difficult at all for Greece. It's League A we wanted to be in and we failed tonight."

Former Scotland striker and coach Steven Naismith: "The goals conceded at the time they were is a massive thing. The goal after the break changed the whole feel. It was tough for Scotland."

Former Scotland forward James McFadden: Scotland promised so much coming into the game. As good as Thursday was, it was as bad tonight.

"Real sore one to take. Greece looked really comfortable. We didn't have enough performers. Too many players were well off their best.

"Greece have shown they are a good side, but we didn't do nearly enough to cause them problems."

Injured Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes: "It just wasn't the night for us. We've been down before and come back from it. We need to make sure we're focused for the next games and then go into the World Cup qualifiers."

Scotland fans, were you at Hampden on Sunday evening or following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the defeat.

Have your say on Scotland's performance, external.

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Ryan Christie: "We're frustrated, especially with how well the first leg went.

"Coming in tonight we saw it going a lot differently. We probably didn't create enough and they were pretty cut-throat going forward themselves. Overall a very frustrating night at Hampden but we've got to pick ourselves up for the friendlies in the summer.

"We're not naive enough to know we're going to have it all our way. There's been plenty bumps in the road and this is probably going to be one of them. It's about now how we react from this and bounce back hopefully get ourselves in a really good place going into the qualifiers.

Kenny McLean: "Difficult to take. We put so much into the first leg and knew they were a good team.

"The goals are so disappointing on our behalf and we didn't create enough either. To work so hard to get into the position we were in and kind of throw it away there is really disappointing.

"We need to get better. We're going to play Greece in the near future so we know we cannot underestimate them in the slightest."

John McGinn: "We started pretty well, had a couple of chances, we just let ourselves down with the first goal we conceded. We've got to reflect now before two friendlies in the summer.

"It's an embarrassing night for us, everyone is flat in the stadium, we let ourselves down.

"No threat in behind, probably too easy to pick up. Greece deserved to win. That will maybe give us a kick up the backside for the World Cup qualifiers - we know they are no mugs.

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Scotland boss Steve Clarke: "I talked about setting down a marker before the game, Greece have done that tonight.

"Greece were the better team on the night. We started okay, had one or two half chances.

"They score with their first attack. We didn't get back behind the ball quick enough and we didn't create enough - that adds up to a disappointing night.

"I'll go away and look at myself to see what I could have done better. Maybe I didn't make enough rotations. Maybe I could have made more to freshen the team up.

"We have to analyse it, park this tournament because we go down to League B, and try to do better.

"I talked before the game about setting down a marker, I think Greece have done that tonight.

"We've learned that when we do everything right, with the ball and without the ball, we're a good team at this level.

"We've got two friendlies in June to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers in the autumn."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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On an evening the man they called 'King' was commemorated by all including his old pal Sir Alex Ferguson, Scotland were crying out for the magic of the Lawman.

Like in Greece, they made an explosive start, building on the stirring pre-match atmosphere created in honour of legendary striker Law, who died in January at age 84.

Unlike a few days ago, though, they could not create a case deserving of a goal.

Giannis Konstantelias' opener punctured the place and from then on, Scotland never looked like replicating the storm the Greeks brought on Thursday.

Steve Clarke's side were terrorised down the left, while Ryan Christie – the only change from the first leg – looked lost out wide, having excelled more centrally for Bournemouth this season.

But in truth, even Scotland's tried and trusted in their safe space appeared disorientated.

It was a far cry from the all-round performance on Thursday that garnered much praise and instead one which regurgitates questions about this team that surfaced last year at Euro 2024.

The Scots showed their fight and mettle to force this play-off, but choked at crunch time.

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• The only previous time Scotland have hosted Greece for an international match came in August 1995 in a European Championship qualifier, winning 1-0 at Hampden thanks to a goal from Ally McCoist.

• In the previous meeting between these two sides this week, Greece attempted 24 shots and finished the game with 2.7xG. While failing to score on the night, this was their highest xG total in a Nations League match to date.

• Scotland have lost just two of their past 22 competitive internationals on home soil (W15 D5), losing to Ukraine in June 2022 and Poland in September 2024.

• Greece have won each of their past three away games, all in the Nations League. They haven't won four away games in a row since October 2016, while in competitive internationals they last did so in September 2008.

• After a run of 10 competitive matches without managing a victory between October 2023 and October 2024 (D4 L6), Scotland have won each of their past three such fixtures. If they win this game, they'll already have as many competitive wins in 2025 (2) as they managed in 2024 (W2 D2 L5).

• Since the start of 2023, Scott McTominay has averaged a goal every other game for Scotland, netting 11 goals in 22 appearances. Indeed, McTominay has netted exactly a third of his team's goals across all competitions in this period (33% - 11/33).

• Vangelis Pavlidis has only scored in one of his last 19 appearances for Greece, although that was the last time he played for his country on British soil, netting a brace against England at Wembley last October.

• John McGinn could make his 75th international appearance for Scotland in this game (currently on 74 caps), if he does, he'd be just the sixth outfield player to reach this milestone (after Kenny Dalglish, Andy Robertson, Darren Fletcher, Alex McLeish, and Paul McStay).

Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, at £40m, is now top of the list of most valuable Scottish footballers, with Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson falling from first to third at £20m and Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson now second on £22m. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

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Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay says playing in Serie A for Napoli has "opened his eyes" and helped him thrive at international level.

McTominay, 28, made the move to Italy last summer after Manchester United sold him for a fee of £25.7m.

Since making the move McTominay has become a regular in the Napoli team and has scored seven times for the Italian giants, who are three points behind league-leaders Inter Milan.

He has also been in prolific form for his country recently as well, scoring 11 goals in his past 22 Scotland outings.

"I would say potentially it has done," McTominay said when asked if the move has made him a better player for Scotland.

"It's opened my eyes to a different style of football. It's opened my eyes to a lot of different things off the pitch as well, which I'm very grateful for.

"Whatever club you play at or if you get a transfer or something like that, you need to have open arms and look to improve."

His magnificent performances for Scotland have also seen him voted as the Scottish Football Writers' international player of the year for the second successive year.

"Very proud," he said of the award. "I'm so grateful to everyone who's helped me in this journey, especially Steve Clarke, because he's the reason why I've been performing so well and the reason why I love coming to the camp, because he makes it such an amazing atmosphere.

"And for me, I just want to do as much as I can for him and keep thriving as much as possible."

McTominay will earn his 60th Scotland cap if he plays against Greece on Sunday and says he never thought he would reach that landmark.

Scotland are 1-0 ahead on aggregate thanks to McTominay's penalty in the first leg as they try to maintain their Nations League A status.

"So I'm very, very pleased and honoured to play 60 games," he said. "I would have never thought that as a young boy.

"For me, it's just important to make sure that I'm always available, both for club and country.

"Availability is so important to me, looking after myself to have as long a career as I possibly can. I want to go really far into my 30s if it's possible. For me, that's something that I've always had a goal of doing.

"So no matter what happens, I just want to make sure that I'm playing well and prepared to give my all for both club and country."