Anthony Ralston on Scotland Euro 2024 battle with Ross McCrorie as Celtic ace swerves 'daggers across the table'

They bumped Brazil, dumped the Dutch and then thumped France as they cut their teeth on the international stage. Now Scotland’s class of 2017/18 have their sights set on gunning down Germany on the biggest stage of all.

Okay, it might be a stretch to compare our young guns’ exploits at the Toulon Tournament with what is staring them in the face when Steve Clarke’s troops get Euro 2024 underway against the host nation in Munich a week tonight. But for Anthony Ralston, Ross McCrorie, Greg Taylor, Ryan Porteous and Billy Gilmour the experience of taking a scalp at tournament level is real. It was seven years ago this week that a Taylor thunderbolt was enough for Scot Gemmill’s side to beat the much fancied Brazilians on their way to finishing third in the competition.

Ralston and McCrorie also featured that evening in southern France. A year later, on the same stage, Ralston and Taylor were joined by Porteous and a 16-year-old Billy Gilmour as the hosts were cut down to size thanks to an Oli Burke goal.

In between times a Netherlands U21 side featuring Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong, Inter Milan ace Denzel Dumfries, Steven Bergwijn of Ajax and Sam Lammers were beaten 2-0 in a Euro qualifier that also saw Scott McKenna and Lewis Morgan involved.

For Ralston they’re not just happy memories but proof that even the younger elements of this current squad heading to Germany have been known to produce shocks on the big stage when they stick together.

Which is exactly why he and McCrorie won’t be crossing swords - or staring daggers across the dining room as he puts it - over the fight to nail down that right wing back role for the big kick off in Munich next Friday. The Celtic wide man said: “No, it’s part of football at club level.