Scotland Men's Football Team

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A win against Hungary secures Scotland either second or third - most likely third - and potentially a place in the last 16.

To finish second would require a German victory over Switzerland, and one hell of a goal swing. The Swiss currently have a goal difference of +2 while ours is -4.

If a six-goal swing happens and the goal difference finishes level (both teams have scored four goals and conceded six) then lower disciplinary points would decide second, which Switzerland hold.

We'd take a scrappy 1-0 though, getting Scotland to four points - which is usually enough to be one of the best third-placed teams.

What about a draw? Well, mathematically, Scotland do not need to win tonight. A draw would move them to two points which might - big might - be enough to progress as one of the best third-placed teams.

Should any two of these three things happen, a point would be enough for Clarke's men to sneak through on the two-point mark:

• Spain and Italy both win their final games in Group B - against Albania and Croatia respectively - on Monday

• Denmark overcome Serbia and England beat Slovenia by four goals in Group C on Tuesday

• Portugal and Turkey earn victories in Group F on Wednesday over Georgia and Czech Republic respectively

Actor Greg McHugh, aka Gary: Tank Commander, gives a rousing message to Steve Clarke and his squad before the crucial Euro 2024 meeting with Hungary.

Watch Late Night at the Euros on BBC Scotland and iPlayer

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• This will be Scotland and Hungary’s first competitive encounter. All nine of their previous meetings were friendlies (3 wins for Scotland, 4 wins for Hungary, 2 draws).

• Scotland have won two of their last three meetings with Hungary (L1), with this their first meeting since a 1-0 away win in March 2018.

• Scotland are looking to reach the knockout stages of the European Championship for the first time. Although they have won just two of their 11 group games at Euros (D3 L6), both wins came on matchday three: in 1992 vs CIS (3-0) and 1996 vs Switzerland (1-0).

• Hungary have lost both of their games so far at Euro 2024, losing to Germany and Switzerland. They’ve only lost all of their matches at two major tournaments before, losing both games at Euro 1972 and all three group games at the 1978 World Cup.

• Scotland’s starting XI against Switzerland last time out had a combined total of 470 caps (including that game), their most for an international ever. It was also their first starting lineup to feature five players with more than 50 caps – McTominay (51), Hanley (52), McGregor (62), McGinn (68) and Robertson (73).

• Hungary have only won one of their last 17 games at major tournaments (Euros + World Cup) against European nations (D5 L11), a 2-0 win over Austria on matchday one of Euro 2016.

• Excluding own goals, the six scorers of goals for Scotland at European Championships have all had surnames starting with Mc – McStay, McClair and McAllister in 1992, McCoist in 1996, McGregor in 2020 and McTominay in 2024. In addition to this, their four assisted goals have all come from Mc players (McPherson, McCoist, McAllister, McGregor).

• Hungary are winless in their last eight UEFA EURO matches (D4 L4) – the only nation to have a longer winless run in the competition are Russia between 1988 and 2004 (9 games – including games as Soviet Union/CIS).

• Since the start of 2023, Scott McTominay has scored eight goals in 10 competitive internationals for Scotland, only one fewer than all other Scottish players combined in that time (9 goals). McTominay has also had four of Scotland’s 13 shots at Euro 2024, as well as eight of their 27 touches in the opposition box.

Scotland midfielder John McGinn on joining in with the Bavarian welcome dance when the squad arrived at their Euro 2024 base of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke says he is "trying to underplay" the significance of Sunday's Euro 2024 group game against Hungary.

The Scots go into the match in Stuttgart knowing a win will most likely take them into the last 16 of the competition.

Never before have a Scotland team reached the knockout stage of a major finals.

Clarke suggested there was "a little bit too much" noise from his camp prior to the Euros opener with Germany, which ended in a 5-1 defeat.

On this occasion, the Scotland boss is aiming to keep a lid on the build-up to what is arguably the nation's biggest game in a generation.

"Everybody knows how big it is," Clarke said. "You can talk and talk and talk about it. We probably did a little bit too much with the first game.

"So we're trying to underplay this one, if you ever can with a game of this magnitude, but we're trying to make sure we're well prepared and ready to go.

"Nothing except three points for us is what we're thinking. We need to get three points to at least finish third in the group and we'll see where that takes us."

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland at Stuttgart Arena

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Head coach Steve Clarke was speaking to the media prior to Scotland's final Euro 2024 group game against Hungary on Sunday.

Here's the best of it:

• Clarke says Scotland face a similar situation to what they did three years ago in their last Euros campaign and is hopeful they've learned their lessons.

• He believes two similar line-ups and teams will face one another on Sunday but hopes Scotland's system is slightly better.

• Clarke adds that the mental side of the game is "massive" and that's what let Scotland down in first game.

• "If Scotland do what they're good at they've got a chance," he says.

• The head coach adds that Scotland are trying to "underplay" the game to take the pressure off.

• Clarke says it doesn't matter if he is the first manager to get Scotland out of a group, all focus is on the three points.

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland at Stuttgart Arena

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Midfielder John McGinn was speaking to the media prior to Scotland's final Euro 2024 group game against Hungary on Sunday.

Here's the best of it:

• He says it would mean everything to reward Tartan Army, who have made him proud to be Scottish.

• The Aston Villa captain says the first game against Germany was a write off, but the draw with Switzerland was about determination.

• "We’ve got different gears to go up," McGinn added.

• He says "it would mean everything" to be the goal hero on Sunday.

• McGinn also says progressing with Scotland would mean more than getting Aston Villa to the Champions League.

• He adds that football is about proving people wrong and that's what Scotland want to do on Sunday.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Stuttgart

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Hungary manager Marco Rossi has been speaking to the media ahead of their match against Scotland on Sunday.

Here are the key points:

• Rossi expects Scotland to be aggressive, as they always are.

• Although he singled out Billy Gilmour, John McGinn and Scott McTominay as key players, he says the team are dangerous as a whole due to their attitude. Adding his side will have to be in the right mood to play as well as possible.

• He says Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai trained alone on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean he’s not fit to play.

• Rossi adds that Callum Styles is at last ready to play for Hungary.

• He says three points might see them through, so no alternative but to go for the win if they want to have a chance of progressing.

• When asked how he'll ensure the players are motivated after a poor start, he hit back that the players shouldn’t need motivation.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Frankfurt

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Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has a big smile on his face when I ask him if he would be happy for Scotland to qualify for the last 16, given the number of fans who've travelled and made new friends here.

"I've seen a lot of the videos in Munich. They are tough when it comes to beer drinking, the Scottish fans," he says.

"They are very noisy. It was a cool game against the Scottish team. But I wish all the teams the best of luck to be successful. First of all we want to win the game tomorrow against the Swiss.

"I wish you all the best. The same for the Hungary team. They [Scotland] should fight for the three points."

Ach well, you can't blame a boy for trying, can you? I was hoping for 'Nagelsmann's Scottish rallying cry'. Instead, we had 'all the best to Scotland and Hungary'.

A superbly diplomatic answer. Germany has been a great host so far and they don't want to upset anyone unnecessarily.

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Leanne Crichton has suggested Ryan Christie should replace John McGinn for Scotland's game against Hungary.

McGinn has started both of Scotland's Euro 2024 group games so far, while Christie started the 5-1 defeat to Germany and came on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland.

Crichton says she has "reservations as to how match sharp and on it" McGinn is.

"I think he's going to be massive for us regardless, but I look at the energy levels of Ryan Christie and I wouldn't object to McGinn going out and Christie coming in," she said.

"I'd have Lawrence Shankland playing up top so you have Christie and Scott McTominay who would play underneath him.

"I think if you're bringing on McGinn at 60 minutes in a game where you're looking to win it, I think it would give everybody a massive lift.

"He really struggled in the first game, did a power of running in the second with very little influence in possession. We're just not using McGinn to his strengths.

"I don't think Steve Clarke is going to drop him but I wouldn't object to Christie being given the chance to go and show what he can do in a game where he'd have more influence."

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Scotland striker Che Adams sat down with BBC Sport before Sunday's Euro 2024 group decider with Hungary.

Here are the best bits:

On potentially reaching Euro 2024 knockouts...

"It would go down as the highlight of my career, I think most of the boys would say that as well. To make history for the nation would be so special.

"It's our job to keep it under wraps and keep it to ourselves. There's so much pressure around everything in the tournament and getting out of the group.

"Everyone knows what's at stake. Everyone knows the job. We know what we've got to do and we're fully aware of how we can do it."

On becoming a rare non-Mc Scotland player to score at a major tournament...

"Most of the boys call me McAdams anyway so I think I'll be fine with that.

"Some days you score, some days you don't, it's part and parcel of football. To just be positive and get shots away is the main goal in any game.

"Going into the game on Sunday, we're going to be under pressure regardless."

On the support of the Tartan Army...

"With the fans giving us the extra boost, it made our job 10 times easier [against Switzerland].

"The national anthem before the game really pumped everyone up. It was indescribable really, the feeling that went through my body and all of our families watching.

"We're just looking forward to it again and we know the fans will be there again."

On facing Hungary...

"Every game is going to be tough at the Euros. It's in our hands now, we’ve just got to concentrate on what we've got to do. We're looking forward to it, everyone's excited.

"If we perform like we did the other night then we will be fine. I think there are many ways we can hurt [Hungary].

"We're a good team when we believe in ourselves and we're on the front foot like we were against Switzerland. We can cause problems for any team.

"They're quite physical, they like to put pressure on, they're quite a hard-working team, but so are we."

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Scotland 2-2 USSR, 1982 World Cup

After beating New Zealand 5-2 but losing 4-1 to Brazil, Scotland knew only a win would see them progress.

A dramatic game saw the Scots go ahead through Joe Jordan in the 15th minute, but the USSR hit back in the second half to take the lead.

Graeme Souness equalised four minutes from time, however the game ended 2-2 and Jock Stein's men were out, with the USSR going through in second place.

Scotland 0-0 Uruguay, 1986 World Cup

Scotland suffered losses against Denmark and West Germany, but they still had a chance of making the knockout stages if they could beat Uruguay in their final group game.

Alex Ferguson's men had a man advantage when Uruguay's Jose Batista was sent off inside the first minute, but they could not find a winner and the game ended goalless, seeing the Scots bow out.

Scotland 1-0 Switzerland, Euro 1996

With just one point from two games against the Netherlands and England, Scotland needed a win and a big swing in goal difference against Switzerland to progress to the knockout stages at the expense of the Dutch.

Ally McCoist's 36th-minute goal decided the Villa Park contest and they looked to be going through when England led the Netherlands 4-0.

But Patrick Kluivert's late consolation goal broke Scottish hearts as the Netherlands edged through on goals scored, eliminating Craig Brown's men.

Scotland 0-3 Morocco, 1998 World Cup

As with the Euros two years previously, Scotland went into the final group game on just one point after losing to Brazil 2-1 and drawing 1-1 with Norway.

They needed a win over Morocco and for Brazil to beat the Norwegians, but neither occurred.

Norway pulled off a surprise 2-1 win in their game against Brazil and Scotland were taken to pieces by a strong Morocco side, who beat them 3-0 in St Etienne.

Scotland 1-3 Croatia, Euro 2020

Yet again, Scotland headed into the final group game with just one point, while opponents Croatia also needed a win to progress to the knockout stages.

The visitors took an early lead at Hampden through Nikola Vlasic before Callum McGregor equalised.

However, Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic struck in the second half to give Croatia a 3-1 win, ending Scotland's hopes of progressing through to the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.