Analysis:Scotland fail to match passion of fans

HAMBURG, Germany : Scotland fans have lit up Euro 2024 with an estimated 200,000 in Germany with or without tickets, but their team has not matched such passion with yet another failure to progress from the group stage in a dozen major tournaments.

Needing a win against Hungary to reach the knockouts for the first time in eight World Cups and four European Championships since 1954, the Scots had only four fairly tepid attempts before succumbing to a last-gasp goal.

Their latest tournament - one point from three games and two goals both of which went in off opposing players - did not even follow Scotland's pattern of cruel but heroic past failures.

"We felt everyone behind us, and we knew the excitement back home - sorry for letting you down," said captain Andy Robertson as the Scots put down their flags and bagpipes in Stuttgart and digested a familiar losing feeling.

"We'll take a long time to get over this one."

It could all have been so different.

Traumatized by their opening 5-1 defeat to Germany, the Scots had shown pride and fight in their ensuing 1-1 draw with Switzerland and were arguably favourites against Hungary who had lost both their opening games.

But despite 60 per cent possession and space for Scott McTominay and John McGinn to pull the strings as the defence pushed up high, Scotland could not carve out clear-cut chances against a well-marshalled Hungarian defence.

The closest they came to a goal, in fact, was a late penalty shout after a knock to Stuart Armstrong which should have at least gone to the Video Assistant Reference (VAR) for a check.

CRESTFALLEN 'TARTAN ARMY'

The Scots' only shot on target came in stoppage time.

So once again it was crushing disappointment for the Scots, without even the