What Scotland need to do to qualify for Euro 2024 knockout stages | Football

Steve Clarke’s side suffered a humbling 5-1 defeat to Germany in the opening match of Euro 2024, before clinching a 1-1 draw with Switzerland last time out.

Scotland have never reached the knockout stages of a European Championship but have their destiny in their own hands as they prepare to face Hungary in Frankfurt.

What do Scotland need to do to qualify for the Euro 2024 knockout stages?

With one point from two games, Scotland currently sit third in Group A, five points behind already-qualified Germany and three behind Switzerland. Hungary are bottom on zero points.

That means the Scots will only advance to the knockout stages as group runners-up if they beat Hungary and cause an unlikely six-goal swing with Switzerland, who face in-form hosts Germany.

But Scotland will likely advance as one of the best third-placed teams providing they do the job against Hungary as no side has failed to reach the knockout stages in a 24-team Euros with four points from the group stage.

Three points has occasionally even been sufficient but two points was not enough to finish as one of the best third-placed teams at Euro 2016 or Euro 2020, but may be enough at Euro 2024 depending on results elsewhere.

Defeat for Scotland against Hungary would see the Tartan Army finish bottom of Group A and crash out of the Euros.

Chris Sutton’s Scotland v Hungary prediction

Chris Sutton, who spent six years playing for Scottish giants Celtic, expects Scotland to lose to Hungary, putting an abrupt end to their Euros campaign.

‘Scotland were much better against Switzerland, and goalkeeper Angus Gunn played really well, but I am still worried about their defence.

‘I am hoping that Scotland get a result, but I actually think that Hungary will beat them.

‘Sorry, Scotland, because I really want you to win. You’ve had the best fans at the tournament but I just think you lack quality in certain areas. I think Hungary will win 2-1.’

What have Scotland said ahead of the game?

Scotland boss Clarke says he is trying to downplay the importance of the Hungary clash.

‘Everybody knows how big it is,’ he 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.’

Scotland midfielder John McGinn, meanwhile, says he and his team-mates are determined to ‘prove people wrong’ by progressing at the Euros.

‘We’ve obviously had a lot of injuries along the way – but us Scots are best at enduring adversity,’ he said. ‘Hopefully we can prove a lot of people wrong.

‘We have players who’ve been involved in high-pressure matches, but we’re not feeling pressure, we feel anticipation about being that team who changes things for Scottish football.

‘I don’t think a lot of people across Europe thought we could do it, so we want to be the ones who do.

‘We all know the magnitude of the occasion. We have the chance to write our name into the history books.’

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