Scotland's Euro 2024 foes examined as Germany, Hungary and Switzerland go down different squad routes

The lowdown on Scotland’s opponents after squad announcementd

Scotland were the last of the Euro 2024 Group A nations to unveil its squad, with manager Steve Clarke on Wednesdsay revealing the players he plans to take the tournament in Germany next month.

Clarke has picked a 28-man provisional squad, which will be cut down to 26 players as per UEFA regulations a week before the European Championships begin. Scotland will be involved in the opening match when they take on the Germans in Munich on Friday, June 14, with Switzerland and Hungary meeting a day later. All four countries in Group A have gone down different routes with their squads, however, and we take a look at the lie of the land for the trio of teams standing in Scotland’s path.

GERMANY

Scotland face hosts Germany in the opening match of Euro 2024 in Munich on June 14. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

The hosts were the first nation to name its squad, with manager Julian Nagelsmann picking 27 players. His playing pool is littered with star names and many of the headlines surrounded who has been left out. Despite being in the Champions League final, key Borussia Dortmund players such as Mats Hummels, Niklas Sule, Emre Can and Karim Adeyemi were omitted. There is no place for Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry, nor striker Timo Werner, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. It merely reinforced the strength and depth of Germany right now. They have two warm-up matches coming up, against Ukraine in Nuremberg on June 3 and then Greece on June 7 in Dortmund. Nagelsmann will cut one player from his squad and it is likely to be a goalkeeper, having selected four. With Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Manuel Neuer set to stay, it is between uncapped duo Oliver Baumann, 34, and Alexander Nubel, 27, for that last place.

“I had long conversations them,” said Nagelsmann on his omissions. “They’re very disappointed, that’s understandable. I had problems with these conversations before as a club coach, it’s not nice. I didn’t like doing that. You would like to take everyone with you. In the end, as head coach, I have to make a decision in the interests of the team. They did everything to be there. I tried to explain why they weren’t included. It’s understandable that they are sad. They weren’t bad conversations, but of course there are more pleasant conversations in life.

“Of course, such conversations are always emotional. There are different characters who react differently. Some people don’t say anything on the phone, others want a precise explanation. It hurts me to announce such a decision, it hurts, so it’s normal for emotions to arise, but there wasn’t bad blood from either side.”

Provisional 27-man Germany squad

Hungary will be a dangerous opponent for Scotland at Euro 2024. (Photo by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images)

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim).

Defenders: Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittlestadt (Stuttgart), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Waldemar Anton (Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona), Pascal Gross (Brighton), Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen).

Forwards: Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim).

Scotland will face an experienced Switzerland side at Euro 2024. (Photo by DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP via Getty Images)

HUNGARY

Marco Rossi is not hanging about here: he has already named his final 26-man squad for the tournament. The Hungarians, who usually play in a 3-4-3, come into Euro 2024 in excellent fettle. They have not lost a match since September 2022 and topped a qualification group containing Serbia. Hopes are therefore high that they can progress beyond the group stages in Germany. Their star man is undoubtedly captain and Liverpool playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai, and the squad is littered with experience despite many players still being in their 20s. This is Hungary team that is upwardly mobile, and will be dangerous in Germany. Fitness questions remain over defenders Attila Fiola, who recently underwent surgery, and Ádám Lang, but both are expected to make the tournament.

“I have to say that after a long time – including key players – everyone can be called up,” said Rossi when he named his squad. “There are two question marks, Fiola and Lang, but of course we are in contact with them. Our medical staff have also consulted them, thus it looks like they can join us. Since September 2022, we have not had a preparation without a missing player, I am very happy.”

Goalkeeper is the key area of debate for the Hungarians. Péter Gulácsi, 34, returned from serious injury earlier this year for his club RB Leipzig and was the No 1 before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in a Champions League match against Celtic in 2022. In his absence, Ferencvaros’ Dénes Dibusz, 33, held the gloves and while both are in the squad, Rossi has yet to decide who will start the opener against Switzerland. “I have an idea, but I have not decided yet,” he said on the goalkeeping situation. “Once I have made it, I will talk to them at the same time. It will not be easy to say the final answer, but they both know very well how much I value them both professionally and as people.”

Scotland face the Hungarians in the final group match on Sunday, June 23. Five players have been put on standby should any of the original 26 succumb to injury. Hungary have two friendlies, against Republic of Ireland in Dublin on June 4 and then a farewell match against Israel in Budapest on June 8.

Final Hungary squad for Euro 2024

Goalkeepers: Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig), Denes Dibusz (Ferencvaros), Peter Szappanos (Paksi FC).

Defenders: Botond Balogh (Parma), Endre Botka (Ferencvaros), Marton Dardai (Hertha Berlin), Attila Fiola (Fehervar), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), Adam Lang (Omonia Nicosia), Willi Orban (RB Leipzig), Zsolt Nagy (Puskas Akademia), Attila Szalai (Hoffenheim), Loic Nego (Le Havre).

Midfielders: Bendeguz Bolla (Servette), Daniel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union), Krisztofer Horvath (Kecskemeti), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Hajduk Split), Mihaly Kata (MTK Budapest), Adam Nagy (Spezia), Andras Schafer (Union Berlin), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), Callum Styles (Barnsley).

Forwards: Roland Sallai (Freiburg), Martin Adam (Ulsan HD), Barnabas Varga (Ferencvaros), Kevin Csoboth (Ujpest FC).

SWITZERLAND

While Hungary have no doubt over their squad, the same cannot be said of Switzerland. Their manager Murat Yakin selected a preliminary 38-man squad on May 17 due to a number of his players still active on club duty. "As many experienced players are not yet available due to commitments with their clubs, a number of youngsters have been called up for the pre-camp,” explained Yakin. “They will have the opportunity to show what they can do and possibly force their way into the Euros.”

The Swiss squad is likely to be culled in two phases: first after a friendly against Estonia on June 4, and then ahead of the final friendly against Austria on June 8. There are seven uncapped players in the current group, while several have five caps or under and have been picked from Super League clubs such as Young Boys, Luzern, Lugano and Winterthur.

Don’t be fooled, though, by the callow nature of the Swiss squad, nor their uncharacteristic scrappy qualification run, finishing second to Romania. It is still laced with experience and quality. Their defence still looks solid, with Internazionale goalkeeper Yann Sommer plus defenders Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schar, Manuel Akanji and Nico Elvedi all picked. Captain Granit Xhaka and Xerdan Shaqiri have been talismanic figures in recent tournaments for Switzerland and are backed up in midfield by Remo Freuler, who has played so well for Bologna this term alongside Lewis Ferguson. The goals don’t flow in attack but Breel Embolo of Monaco headlines their frontline, although two youngsters are worth noting: AC Milan’s Noah Okofor and Burnley’s Zeki Amdouni, who has a healthy six goals in 13 caps.

Scotland face the Swiss in Cologne on Wednesday, June 18, in the second match of Group A.

Provisional Switzerland 38-man squad

Goalkeepers: Marvin Keller (Winterthur), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Pascal Loretz (Luzern), Yvon Mvogo (Lorient), Yann Sommer (Inter Milan).

Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Manchester City), Aurèle Amenda (Young Boys), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ulisses Garcia (Marseille), Albian Hajdari (Lugano), Kevin Mbabu (Augsburg), Bryan Okoh (Salzburg), Bećir Omeragić (Montpellier), Ricardo Rodriguez (Torino), Fabian Schär (Newcastle United), Leonidas Stergiou (VfB Stuttgart), Silvan Widmer (Mainz 05), Cédric Zesiger (VfL Wolfsburg).

Midfielders: Michel Aebischer (Bologna), Uran Bislimi (Lugano), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Ardon Jashari (Luzern), Fabian Rieder (Rennes), Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire FC), Vincent Sierro (Toulouse), Filip Ugrinic (Young Boys), Granit Xhaka (Bayer Leverkusen), Denis Zakaria (Monaco).

Forwards: Zeki Amdouni (Burnley), Kwadwo Duah (Ludogorets Razgrad), Breel Embolo (Monaco), Joël Monteiro (Young Boys), Dan Ndoye (Bologna), Noah Okafor (Milan), Renato Steffen (Lugano), Ruben Vargas (Augsburg), Andi Zeqiri (Genk), Steven Zuber (AEK).