Germany vs Scotland facts

UEFA EURO 2024 kicks off at the Munich Football Arena as hosts Germany – champions in 1972, 1980 and 1996 and making their 14th appearance in the tournament – take on a Scotland side featuring for the second successive EURO.

Whereas Germany's last four appearances – and eight of the 11 since the introduction of a group stage in 1980 – have extended into the knockout rounds, all three of Scotland's previous finals campaigns have ended in the group stage.

Germany will be looking to kick off Group A with a fourth successive win against Scotland, whose last victory against their opponents came 25 years ago.

Hungary and Switzerland are the other teams in Group A.

Previous meetings

Played 17
Germany wins 8
Scotland wins 4
Draws 5
Germany goals 26
Scotland goals 23

This is the sides' first fixture since 7 September 2015, when Germany won 3-2 at Hampden Park in Glasgow in qualifying for EURO 2016. Two Thomas Müller goals (18, 34) twice gave Joachim Löw's side the lead only for a Mats Hummels own goal (28) and James McArthur (43) to level on each occasion for Gordon Strachan's Scotland. However, İlkay Gündoğan scored the decisive goal for the visitors nine minutes into the second half.

That made it three successive victories against Scotland for Germany, who had also prevailed in Dortmund on 7 September 2014 with Müller again scoring twice (18, 70), the winner coming four minutes after Ikechi Anya had levelled for the Scots.

Germany also beat Scotland 2-1 at the BVB Stadion Dortmund in EURO 2004 qualifying, Michael Ballack scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot. The first game in Glasgow had finished 1-1.

A 66th-minute Don Hutchison goal gave Scotland a 1-0 friendly victory in Bremen on 28 April 1999. That is the Scots' only victory in their last 13 games against Germany (D4 L8) with seven defeats in the last nine; they had won three of the first four matches between the teams, drawing the other.

The teams are meeting at a EURO final tournament for only the second time, a goal in each half from Karl-Heinz Riedle (29) and Stefan Effenberg (47) having given Germany a 2-0 victory against Scotland in Norrkoping on Matchday 2 of EURO '92.

The countries also crossed paths at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, West Germany coming from behind to win 2-1 in Queretaro. Strachan gave Scotland an 18th-minute lead but Rudi Völler replied four minutes later and Klaus Allofs got what proved to be the winner five minutes after half-time.

This is the sides' first meeting in Munich.

EURO facts

Germany

No side has featured in the European Championship more often than Germany, who are making their 14th appearance in 2024. They have featured in every edition of the tournament since their debut in 1972.

Winners in 1972, 1980 – both as West Germany – and 1996, Germany were also beaten finalists in 1976, 1992 and 2008 and have reached a further three semi-finals.

Germany and Spain, with three wins each, are the most successful sides in European Championship history.

EURO 2020 ended in Germany's earliest exit since bowing out in the 2004 group stage, however, Joachim Löw's side losing 2-0 to England at Wembley in the round of 16. They had finished second in Group F behind France on four points, ahead of holders Portugal and Hungary.

A 4-2 win against Portugal on Matchday 2 at EURO 2020 is Germany's only victory in their last six EURO finals matches (D2 L3).

Germany are led by 36-year-old former Hoffenheim, Leipzig and Bayern München coach Julian Nagelsmann, who replaced Hansi Flick on 22 September 2023.

Germany's first game at the Munich Football Arena was also the opening game of the 2006 World Cup, a 4-2 victory against Costa Rica. Their record at the stadium is W5 D3 L3, the most recent game a 1-1 UEFA Nations League draw against England on 7 June 2022 in which Jonas Hofmann scored their goal.

All three of Germany's group games at EURO 2020 were played in Munich – against France (0-1), Portugal (4-2) and Hungary (2-2).

Germany's record at the Munich Football Arena and the Olympiastadion in Munich is W12 D7 L6. They won the 1974 World Cup at the latter venue, beating the Netherlands 2-1 in the final.

Scotland

Scotland are in the EURO final tournament for the fourth time overall, and the second in succession.

Having ended a 24-year absence from the European Championship by qualifying for EURO 2020, Steve Clarke's side finished bottom of Group D at the finals, their only point coming from a 0-0 draw against England at Wembley on Matchday 2. They also lost 2-0 to Czechia and 3-1 against Croatia, both at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Clarke's charges won their first five EURO 2024 qualifiers – most notably defeating Spain 2-0 in Glasgow – and were confirmed as reaching the finals after Norway failed to pick up three points at home to Spain on 15 October. They ended with 17 points, four behind Group A winners Spain but six ahead of third-placed Norway.

Scotland have won two of their nine matches at EURO tournaments (D2 L5), most recently a 1-0 defeat of Switzerland on Matchday 3 of EURO '96.

This is Scotland's first game in Munich.

Links and trivia

Nagelsmann is back in familiar surroundings at the Munich Football Arena having been in charge of Bayern from July 2021 to March 2023.

Toni Kroos played in Real Madrid's 3-0 away win and 5-1 home victory against Celtic in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage. Callum McGregor and Greg Taylor both started in Glasgow.

Florian Wirtz was on target in Bayer Leverkusen's 4-0 win away to Celtic in the UEFA Europa League group stage on 30 September 2021. McGregor and Anthony Ralston were in the home side with Jonathan Tah also featuring for the visitors.

Müller and Joshua Kimmich scored in Bayern's 3-0 win against Celtic in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage.

Kai Havertz scored in Leverkusen's 3-1 win against Rangers in the first leg of the 2019/20 Europa League round of 16.

Pascal Gross and Billy Gilmour have played together for Brighton since 2022.

Havertz and Kieran Tierney are both Arsenal players, although the Scotland defender spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad.

Emre Can and Andy Robertson were Liverpool team-mates in 2017/18.