Celtic’s contingent will return from involvement at EURO 2024 following Scotland’s elimination from the tournament at the hands of Hungary.
On an evening when Steve Clarke’s side required a victory to more or less guarantee a place in the knockout stages, the Tartan Army came up short in both performance and end result.
Offensively, there wasn’t enough rhythm in the final third against a stubborn Hungary outfit. If permutations elsewhere fall their way, Marco Rossi’s side now stand a chance of progressing from Group A.
From a Celtic standpoint, this means Callum McGregor, Anthony Ralston, Greg Taylor and James Forrest will now take some time to recover before reporting back to Lennoxtown for club duties.
Speaking post-match, McGregor has now evaluated a disappointing night that will be a hard pill to swallow for the national team.
Callum McGregor speaks after Scotland’s elimination
McGregor is never somebody who is afraid to front up when things don’t go as planned, and the Celtic captain has gave his honest observation of Scotland’s heartbreaking exit from EURO 2024.
He explained [The Herald]: “It’s a huge disappointment. There was so much hope and expectation, we thought this was going to be the time we did it. The players gave everything but sometimes in football the ball just doesn’t drop where you need it to drop. That was probably the case tonight.
“The point wasn’t enough for us, it would have been a big ask for us to go through on two points. We knew we had to try and win the game. You throw everything at it and you get hit on the counter-attack. That goal was probably irrelevant.
“We’ve been away from these competitions for a long time. It’s building all the time and sometimes you have to suffer disappointment to understand the level. We definitely had the confidence and belief we could get the job done. Hungary made it a difficult game, like we knew they would, and they found the moment of quality which we never quite did.”
As always, McGregor manages to find a balance in his overview of proceedings despite having emotional ties to the situation, which is why he is such a great leader to have on and off the park.
Truthfully, Scotland didn’t do enough to force the issue on the night. They didn’t have enough of a go and were punished by a more streetwise side that was able to pick the lock when it mattered.
Celtic pair McGregor and Ralston can hold their heads high following their contribution to Scotland’s efforts in Germany Germany.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, though Celtic will now come back into focus ahead of pre-season, which is an exciting thought.