Germany Thrashes Scotland 5-1 in Spectacular Euro 2024 Opener

The host nation Germany kicked off Euro 2024 in spectacular fashion with a resounding 5-1 victory over Scotland. The first half saw “Die Mannschaft” take a commanding 3-0 lead with goals from Florian Wirtz (10′), Jamal Musiala (19′), and Kai Havertz. Scotland’s situation worsened as Ryan Porteous received a direct red card late in the first half, reducing them to ten men.

In the second half, Germany continued to dominate, adding two more goals through Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can. Despite a consolation own goal by Antonio Rudiger, Germany’s 5-1 triumph marked a historic milestone in European Championship history.

This victory set a new record as the most decisive and largest margin of victory in a Euro opening match. Historically, few host nations have ever started the tournament with such an emphatic win.

Additionally, Germany achieved several other noteworthy milestones. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann became the youngest manager at Euro 2024. Florian Wirtz’s opening goal secured his place in history as the youngest player to score for Germany in a Euro at 21 years and 42 days old, surpassing the previous record held by Kai Havertz, who was 22 years and 8 days old when he scored in Euro 2020.

Germany’s victory over Scotland nearly matched the record for the largest margin of victory in Euro history, which currently stands with five other matches that were decided by five goals. The match also approached the record for the highest-scoring game in Euro history, a 4-5 defeat of France by Yugoslavia in the Euro 1960 semifinals.

This win propels Germany to the top of Group A, while Scotland faces the challenge of playing their next match without Porteous. For football fans, this thrilling opening match reignited the excitement for Euro tournaments, promising an exciting championship ahead.