Lawrence Shankland warns Germany that Scots are ready to deliver Euros shock

LAWRENCE SHANKLAND warned the Germans that Scotland are ready to kick Euro 2024 off with a massive shock.

Steve Clarke’s men arrived at their training base in Garmisch-Partenkirchen earlier today, and aim to beat Julian Nagelsmann’s side in Friday’s opener.

Shanks knows the odds are against Scotland as they face the hosts.

But Germany have lost their last three opening matches at tournaments, and Shankland insisted: “There will be no inferiority complex — you have to meet the challenge.

“We’ve seen in the past upsets can happen in these games.

“In tournaments there are always upsets here and there although we know Germany are a strong team.

“They are the home country, so there will be a lot of expectation on them on Friday.

“We’ll go into it with confidence though. We’ve had big results against the likes of Spain and other good teams.

“That’s what we are aiming to do again

“It’s been hard work to get here. But we are here on merit and we now need to believe we can go and progress from the group.”

Ace Shankland, 28, was only three when Craig Brown’s Scotland side kicked off the 1998 World Cup in France against Brazil.

That game is still talked about to this day, and the enormity of the occasion isn’t lost on any of the current stars.

And Shankland, who ended his long wait for a Scotland goal in last Friday’s 2-2 draw with Finland, added: “I’ve seen the Brazil game in documentaries and so on.

“I was only three so I can’t say I remember it vividly!

“But you see these tournaments all your life, and you see plenty of stuff about the ones from before you came along.

“Everyone always tunes into the first game — so for us to be a part of it is pretty special.”

Shankland insists there’s a quiet confidence around the camp that Scotland can make it out of the group.

He said: “Why not? We are going there with confidence. You need to believe.

“You need to have the belief that we can get out of the group.

“We are going there to properly take part. I wasn’t there last time around in 2021, but the lads were pretty disappointed how things turned out.

“The boys are looking to improve on that. It can help with some of the lads having experience of last time.

“I’m sure the ones who were there will have taken something from it.

“But everyone is in the same boat here.

“It won’t be easy. These teams are participating at a major tournament for a reason.

“But we are going there to be right in the mix.”

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