Scotland manager Steve Clarke on the threat posed by Hungary, who need to win stand a chance of reaching the last-16.

“If you look at their record the past few years, they’ve been building towards this,” Clarke said. “A good coach, well organised, good discipline without the ball, a good threat with the ball.

“They’ve got talented players but hopefully we can stifle them. We’re expecting a difficult game and I’m sure the Hungarians are also expecting a difficult game from us.

“We’re two similar teams, two similar line-ups and two similar systems, hopefully ours is slightly better than theirs.”

As one man took centre stage in a circus, a properly serious team got on with the business of convincingly winning football matches around him. Is this to be the story of Portugal at Euro 2024?

Perhaps it really is the sign of a new team that, as a goal stood at Cristiano Ronaldo’s mercy, he shockingly passed for another player to score. It wasn’t the only moment where he threw back the years. There was also the moment when he beat a defender with a step-over to cross, something he hasn’t actually done in maybe a decade.

For all that, such contributions were largely at the fringes of a game, which was already won by the Selecao’s more influential modern players, though there is no doubting the main event of Roberto Martinez’s side.

By Miguel Delaney in Dortmund

Scotland manager Steve Clarke on attempting to repay the faith of the Tartan Army by reaching an historic place in the knockout stages of Euro 2024.

“The whole tournament is a sense of occasion. For Scotland, the first major overseas tournament since 1998. I was still playing then, that was a long time ago.

“You can see how much the supporters out here are enjoying themselves. I am sure the five million at home are also engrossed in the tournament. It’s not just about this game, it’s about all the games.

“We know we have to win the game to progress to the next round and that’s what we aim to do. 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 in the competition.”

Now for the hard part. Scotland still require a victory – when the only win they have managed in 11 attempts was against Gibraltar – but the battling nature of their performance against Switzerland restored hope and unlocked the “real Scotland” following a difficult run of form since qualifying.

Clarke’s side looked themselves again, with John McGinn leading Scotland’s press from the front, putting himself about. Within the first couple of minutes against Switzerland, McGinn crashed into a challenge and then chased Andy Robertson’s quick throw-in down the line to win a corner: the Tartan Army went berserk.

And yet Scotland need more if they are to beat Hungary. “Super John McGinn”, the player the Tartan Army looks up to like no other, has been a disappointment at Euro 2024 after such an impressive season with Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The chants in honour of Scotland’s No 7 have filled town squares, train stations and beer halls across Germany since the start of the Euros, but McGinn’s impact has so far been missing on the pitch.

There is more to the attacking midfielder than graft and bustle, but two quiet displays on the ball have not allowed him to showcase his other qualities in possession, such as his ability to turn and drive under pressure. It has been too easy to close off Scotland’s key man. McGinn was kept to 20 touches in each of Scotland’s opening two games against Germany and Switzerland, with the 29-year-old completing just six passes against the Swiss.

Steve Clarke on Scotland’s build-up to a cruicial clash against Hungary:

“There has been a lot of recovery, a lot of rest, hopefully some good information for the players,” he said. “We had a really good training session this morning and when they cross the white line they have to put that information into practice and hopefully you see the results at the end.

“The players have got a hell of a lot more experience. If we can qualify more regularly for these tournaments, you understand what you’re doing. I think we’ve done a lot of things right this time that maybe we didn’t get quite right the last time [at Euro 2020].

“Hopefully when we get to the last game the proof of the pudding is in the eating if you like, so that’s what we’re after. Hopefully we go to the match tomorrow and we do what we’re good at. If we do that we’ve got a chance.”

This time, it’s history. Euro 2024 began with Graeme Souness, lambasting the lack of quality in a Scotland side found to be out of its depth. Scotland may end Euro 2024 having achieved what Souness and the golden generation led by himself and Kenny Dalglish could not, by reaching the knockout stages of an international tournament for the first time. Before a ball was kicked, Scotland and manager Steve Clarke would have gladly accepted the position they find themselves in now: beat Hungary in Stuttgart on Sunday night and they will reach the magic four-point mark that should be enough to go through to the last-16.

If the group stages of the 24-team Euros come to showcase a class divide between the haves and the have-nots — as pre-tournament favourites France and England go through the motions while a range of nations less accustomed to the big stage, from Slovakia and Romania to Turkey and Albania, provide the colour by seizing their opportunity — Scotland’s players have a chance to write themselves into legend with a single win. That has been the goal since arriving in Germany almost two weeks ago.

Preview of a big night in Stuttgart

Steve Clarke hopes lessons have been learned ahead of Scotland’s crunch Group A game against Hungary in Stuttgart at Euro 2024, writes Ronnie Esplin.

The Scots have just one point from their first two matches against Germany and Switzerland but a win against Hungary would almost certainly see Scotland into the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.

Clarke and his side were in the same situation in the delayed Euro 2020 after losing to the Czech Republic and drawing with England but they fell well short in their final game, losing 3-1 to Croatia at Hampden Park.

However, the Scotland boss believes he and his squad have used the intervening years wisely.

“We feel good,” said Clarke. “We thought it might come down to needing to get something out of the last game in the group. We’ve been in this position before at the last tournament but hopefully we can show that we’ve learned a few lessons.”

Euro 2024 arrives at the final round of the group stage to decide who will go through to the knockouts. As well as the top two teams in each of the six groups, the four best third-placed teams will also progress to make up the last-16, with the remaining eight nations cut from the tournament.

Up first is Group A, as Scotland attempt to claim a place in the knockout stages of an international tournament for the first time in their history against Hungary. Scotland were thrashed by Germany in their opening game before bouncing back against Switzerland, with a victory over Hungary in Stuttgart needed to be sure of qualification - although an anxious wait may be required even if Steve Clarke’s side do pick up a crucial three points.

In the past two editions of the European Championship where the 24-team format has been used, four points has always been enough as a third-placed team to progress to the last-16. While three points has occasionally been sufficient, it does not guarantee a place in the next round. Two points was not enough to finish as one of the four best third-placed teams at Euro 2016 or Euro 2020, but there is a way in which it may be possible at Euro 2024.

There are certain to be plenty of twists and turns in store as the final round of fixtures are played out, with both matches in each of the groups kicking off simultaneously across the next four evenings. Here’s how the groups are looking, as well as the all-important permutations and the ranking of the third-placed teams at Euro 2024.

Prediction

Scotland need to play a perfect game against Hungary and can’t afford some of the moments of inaccuracy that almost cost them against Switzerland. But Scotland managed to turn a corner following their disastrous opening night, and have the belief that they can get the job done. Scotland 1-0 Hungary

Predicted line-ups

Scotland XI: Gunn; Hendry, Hanley, McKenna; Ralston, Gilmour, McGregor, Robertson; McTominay, McGinn; Adams

Hungary XI: Gulacsi; Fiola, Orban, Dardai; Bolla, A. Nagy, Schafer, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Sallai; Varga