Scotland Men's Football Team

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BBC Sport Scotland's Jonathan Sutherland has spoken to the great and good as the big kick-off nears.

Here are some of their predictions for the game against Germany:

Sir Alex Ferguson: I'm hopeful. They'll do well.

Darren Fletcher: This game won't define the group, but I'd take a good performance and a draw - let's say 1-1.

The fans will be the best in the tournament and do the country proud - just like the team will. They'll outnumber every other set of fans here.

Gavin Hastings: Before any big event, the anticipation is enormous and you wonder if this will be the occasion that Scotland rise to it.

Steve [Clarke] has done a great job and he seems to take the pressure off the players. He doesn't get too carried away, he's on a pretty level keel all the time. I'll go for 1-1.

David Coulthard: I looked at the stats, and it's not good reading [for Scotland] but let's keep our fingers crossed. I'd be happy with a draw, but the dream would be a win.

Amy McDonald: I have a good feeling. I don't think Germany are having their manager, there's noise about 'keeping the seat warm for Klopp'. I think we've got a chance. I'll say 2-1 Scotland.

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Tonight marks the opening of Scotland's fourth appearance at a European Championship - but how have they started their previous three?

Netherlands 1-0 Scotland (June 12, 1992)

Scotland first qualified for Sweden 92 and were welcomed by the reigning European champions, who started Ronald Koeman, Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten. Dennis Bergkamp's 75th-minute strike downed Andy Roxburgh's men.

Netherlands 0-0 Scotland (June 10, 1996)

Another introduction against the Dutch, this time in England, under the leadership of Craig Brown. Sadly, a goalless draw was not enough to help them progress.

Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic (June 14, 2021)

At Hampden Park, many argued Scotland couldn't have wished for a better opportunity to begin their campaign. Sadly, any hype was soon quashed as Patrik Schick headed the opener then chipped David Marshall from the halfway line. Brutal.

Former Scotland players Steven Thompson and Neil McCann recall the feisty 2-1 defeat by Germany in a Euro qualifier under Berti Vogts in September 2003.

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Steve Clarke's message of "respect everyone, fear no one" was echoed by former Scotland boss Gordon Strachan as he reflected on his side's 2-1 loss to Germany in a Euro qualifier 10 years ago.

"Germany are not at the same level now as they were then," Strachan said. "When you look back at the experience they had, they were a good group.

"We had loads of respect for them but we had nothing to fear, and I think that’s the mood that Steve will be hoping for from his team. Respect them but don’t fear them, and I think he’s got players that can do it."

Only Grant Hanley remains from that Scotland side, but Strachan is unsure of the defender's involvement in tonight's opener against Germany.

“Grant will never let you down, people are often surprised by how quick he is, but my only concern with Grant is his fitness," he added.

"If he was fit, I’d pick him. I can absolutely understand why Steve’s given him every chance to play his way into it but he missed a lot of games last year for Norwich and I just wonder how fit he is."

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The big kick-off is here!

BBC pundits and readers have already had their say - now it's time for some of the music industry's finest to predict what will happen, and how Scotland will do.

Travis bassist Dougie Payne

Who will win Euro 2024? England. The squad is pretty incredible. It seems like a happy camp and a team where they can play with a bit of freedom and self-expression.

How will Scotland do? I’m feeling cautiously optimistic. Obviously Germany are favourites to win the group but I think we could get results against Switzerland and Hungary. So, I reckon we might actually get out the group. Which would be incredible. And a first!

Who will be the star player? It’s a bit obvious but I feel like it's going to be between Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. I really hope Bellingham has a great tournament. I just love watching him play.

What's your favourite Euros moment? All of Euro '96. The band had just moved to London and it felt like the centre of the world. The sun was shining, Scotland were there and the whole thing was just joyous. Even that unbelievable Gazza goal couldn't dampen our spirits!

Ross & Sam from Twin Atalantic

Who will win Euro 2024? Scotland. We're going to win, we're Scotland.

Who will be the star player? King of Scotland, John McGinn.

What's your favourite Euros moment? Scotland beating Spain 2-0 in the qualifiers for these Euros and the Spanish players crying about the grass being too long afterwards!

Singer Nina Nesbitt

Who will win Euro 2024? Scotland will win it.

Who will be the star player? John McGinn.

What's your favourite Euros moment? It will be sitting in a pub garden with a pint of cider watching Scotland play.

The Snuts drummer Jordan MacKay

Who will win Euro 2024? As much as I'd love to say Scotland, I think France will take the crown.

How will Scotland do? Would love to see us make it out the groups.

Who will be the star player? From the season he has already had at club level, Phil Foden is the man to look out for.

What's your favourite Euros moment? Not old enough to have seen it live but Marco van Basten’s famous volley in 1988 against the Soviet Union must be up there.

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Former Scotland winger Neil McCann thinks Steve Clarke's Kilmarnock tactics could offer an insight into what to expect from the national side tonight in the Allianz Arena.

"Stevie Clarke was magic with Kilmarnock because he went a 4-4-1-1, he offered the wide areas and protected the heart of the pitch," said McCann.

"But they hit with pace on the wings, hit with pace when it went up to the front man, and they went quick. Out of possession, they just restructured."

McCann was speaking on the Scottish football podcast, and added that he's got no concerns over Germany having the bulk of possession in tonight's Euro 2024 opener.

"I'm fine with Germany dictating play if we're really structured and deep. I don't think [Toni] Kroos is the player he once was, although he'll dictate play," he added.

"I don't have a fear about quality players dictating play in front of us, it's the wide players that have the real threat for me, the pace, [Ilkay] Gundogan hitting the box, it's the boys in front I'm worried about, that front four, wow."

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Tom English in Munich

Remember what it used to be like being a Scotland fan?

As we gathered in the media room at Bayern Munich's home ground on Thursday evening, the electricity crackling and the sense of occasion rising, I thought back to the early days of the Steve Clarke era.

And to one night in particular. November 2019 and a 3-1 win at home to Kazakhstan, the team that not long before had humiliated Scotland. The sense of despondency around the national team at the time was unmissable.

The apathy was real and seemingly without end.

A total of 19,515 fans turned up at Hampden that night. At times it felt like a similar number were cramped into Clarke's press conference at the Allianz. What a transformation this has been.

No wonder Andy Robertson referenced the pride his players felt at having reconnected the nation with the national team.

This means something. It means everything.

Not many people back then could have envisaged a day when Scotland would sit at the centre of European football again, but it's happening. And it's majestic.

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland at the Allianz Arena

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Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann was full of praise for his Scottish counterpart as he spoke to the media on the eve of their Euro 2024 opener.

"Many years ago he was assistant coach of big names and big coaches," said Nagelsmann. "He learned a lot from them and I think the transformation of Scottish football is because of his brilliant job in the last couple of years.

“When you watch the Scottish team in the early years they’d play a lot of long balls and the ball was in the air, only fighting. Now they can do every part of the game in a good way.

“It’s an incredible development. It’s not kick and rush. They can do that, but they can play football.

“We have more pressure tomorrow than Scotland, so I’m sure they want to capitalise on that."

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Scotland skipper Andy Robertson has eased any lingering worries surrounding his fitness before Scotland's Euro 2024 opener against Germany.

The left-back was withdrawn early from Monday's training session after a knock to the ankle, but has reassured supporters he's fully fit for Friday night.

"I'm physically good, mentally good and looking forward to what's ahead," Robertson said.

"I had an ankle injury from March and I've been nursing it a little bit from then on.

"It's all good now, we were pretty relaxed about the whole situation but I'm all good to go.

"Mentally, physically we're all ready and come kick-off we'll be 100%."

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Scotland boss Steve Clarke is urging his players not to get distracted by the "enormity" of Friday night's Euro 2024 against Germany in Munich.

"It's the opening game of a four-team section, three matches, we know what we have to do to qualify and that's all we focus on," the head coach said.

"Everyone is fully fit, flying, desperate to be selected and ready to go.

"The enormity of the opener is a bit of a sideshow and hopefully we don't get too caught up in that.

"It's a difficult game. One of the mantras I've had is respect everyone and fear no one.

"We know they're a good team but hopefully we can show everyone we're a good team as well."

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Steve Clarke has been speaking to the media in Munich before his Scotland side take on Germany in Friday night's Euro 2024 opener.

Here are the key points:

• Clarke started by acknowledging how busy the press conference was and joked "it must be a big game" tomorrow night.

• The Scotland boss insists his side must not get sidetracked by the "enormity" of the opener but says they'll "respect everyone and fear no one" in the first game and beyond.

• Clarke also stressed the importance of the travelling Tartan Army support who will be a "big boost" to his side.

• The Scotland boss adds: "I've been lucky enough to be involved in big matches - it was nice to be involved in the last Euros. I can enjoy it, I'll enjoy it even more once we've got four points on the board."

• He offered up positive squad news too with "everyone fit and firing" for the opener after a tough few weeks with injuries.

• Clarke is confident his players will be able to handle the occasion but is expecting Germany to be a really tough opponent.

Although he has been ruled out of the tournament through injury, Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes is part of the squad in Germany and revelling in the party atmosphere with the Tartan Army.