Several Celtic stars will be aiming to make history with Scotland at Euro 2024 on Sunday, following a challenging start to the tournament.
Steve Clarke’s squad has a chance to become the first Scottish side in history to reach the knockout stages of a major tournament. A victory over Hungary, combined with favourable results elsewhere, would secure this historic achievement.
Celtic captain Callum McGregor faced heavy criticism for his performance in the opening 5-1 defeat to Germany, while Anthony Ralston’s unfortunate back pass allowed Xherdan Shaqiri to score for Switzerland in a 1-1 draw. Despite these setbacks, the Celtic duo have shown commendable fighting spirit, alongside teammates Andy Robertson, John McGinn, Scott McTominay, and the returning Billy Gilmour.
Although Clarke’s side did not secure a win against Switzerland, the hard-fought draw has given them belief heading into the decisive match against Hungary.
Stephen McGinn, brother of midfielder John McGinn, has highlighted Ralston’s character at both club and international level. The former Falkirk captain acknowledged Ralston’s “big mistake” but praised his resilience, noting his “really, really good second half.”
McGinn added that while Ralston may never be “the best right-back that plays for Celtic,” he consistently “stands up to be counted” when it matters most, as he told Go Radio.
The final group game of Euro 2024 represents one of Scotland’s biggest matches ever. McGinn’s comments on Ralston underscore the defender’s tenacity and ability to recover from setbacks.
“I think also Anthony Ralston makes a big mistake,” said McGinn. “I thought he had a really, really good second half. What I will always say about Anthony Ralston. He’s never going to be the best right-back that plays for Celtic. But he stands up to be counted. The amount of games he comes into where Alistair Johnston did in the last Rangers game. He goes off with 15 minutes to go. My brother is a right-back. It’s such a hard position to come into. You are in that last line. Protecting a lead and you are having to defend. He always stands up to be counted. I thought he recovered really well from the mistake.”
Unfortunately for Scotland, ex-Celtic star Kieran Tierney has suffered another injury and returned to Arsenal, likely ruling out any transfer moves and dealing a significant blow to the team. This will probably be the only forced change for the final match.
This is an opportunity for Scotland’s players to inspire a new generation. Consistently qualifying for major tournaments is a feat in itself, but advancing to the knockout stages would be a monumental achievement.
The outcome hinges on Scotland’s performance on the ball. With players like McGinn and McGregor capable of handling pressure and making decisive plays, now is the time to deliver. As Scotland prepares to face Hungary, the team must channel their resilience and determination to achieve what once seemed unthinkable.