Insipid Scotland's Euros display 'one of the worst I have ever seen' as veteran broadcaster hails England

How bad was Scotland’s performance in Munich?

Well, according to Nicky Campbell it was among the worst displays he has ever seen from the national team - and that includes the Argentina ’78 World Cup.

The veteran broadcaster from Edinburgh has witnessed some dispiriting moments in over 50 years of following Scotland but the 5-1 defeat by Germany in Euro 2024’s opening game was right up there.

Comparing England and Scotland’s performances on the first weekend of the tournament, Campbell told listeners to Radio 5 Live that Steve Clarke’s side were “insipid”.

Scotland started off Euro 2024 with a 5-1 defeat by Germany. | Getty Images

“Euro 2024, what have we learned? Well, we’ve seen the two home teams,” said Campbell. “One looked good [England], did the business, a wee bit nervy towards the end, but cohesion, skill, efficiency.

“One didn’t look good - Scotland. I've been following them I reckon since about 1972 with great passion and that’s one of the worst things I’ve ever seen.

“I remember Wembley ’75, Iran, Netherlands, Costa Rica. This was insipid, this was one of the worst if not the very worst performances I’ve ever seen from a Scotland team.”

England, who beat Serbia 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, are top of Group C after the first round of fixtures while Scotland are bottom of Group A.

The defeat at the Allianz Arena on Friday evening is certainly a contender for Scotland’s hall of shame alongside games like the 5-1 hammering by England in the Home Internationals at Wembley in 1975, the putrid 1-1 draw with Iran in Cordoba at the 1978 World Cup, the shock 1-0 loss to Costa Rica in Genoa in their opening game of the 1990 World Cup and the 6-0 defeat by the Netherlands in the Euro 2000 play-off game in Amsterdam after Scotland had won the first leg 1-0.

Callum McGregor, the Scotland midfielder, said on Sunday that the Germany game was an “embarrassment” and that there was a determination to put things right when they take on Switzerland in Cologne on Wednesday evening. Scotland, who will likely need four points to qualify for the last 16 of Euro 2024, face Hungary in their final Group A match on Sunday.