Scotland’s penchant for digging out big results under Steve Clarke will be needed again after today’s Euros qualifying draw.
The Tartan Army have had their fair share of memorable nights over the last 18 months, including wins over Ukraine and Denmark and the draw against England at Wembley.
But after being drawn against Spain and Norway in their qualifying group for the 2024 tournament, the table will be set again for some more massive ties.
Spain arguably performed better than most expected at last year’s Euros, reaching the semi-finals before losing out to eventual champions Italy. They topped their Nations League group, which included Portugal, and will head to the World Cup in Qatar with expectations of progressing deep into the competition.
We have been drawn in Group A for @EURO2024 qualifying.
🇪🇸 Spain
🏴 Scotland
🇳🇴 Norway
🇬🇪 Georgia
🇨🇾 Cyprus pic.twitter.com/jB6sRDDNm1— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) October 9, 2022
In Pedri, Gavi and Ansu Fati, they have three of the finest young talents in Europe, who all ply their trade at Barcelona. They have the crop of new talent which have the unenviable task of measuring up to an illustrious set of predecessors.
Norway may be seen by some as the more appetising tie purely because of one man: Erling Haaland. There probably isn’t a more discussed footballer in the world at the moment due to his ridiculous scoring record, with his every touch of the football pored over in minute detail.
Haaland has 20 in 13 since joining Manchester City this summer from Borussia Dortmund and his Norway tally is only marginally less impressive, standing at 21 in 23 caps.
They also have Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard pulling the strings, plus Kristoffer Ajer and Mohammed Elyounoussi, who ply their trade in the Premier League but will be familiar names to Celtic fans.
But their qualification record for major tournaments is poor. Their last qualification was for Euro 2000; they won just one of their last four World Cup qualifiers to miss out on the play-offs for Qatar and the year before, were beaten by Serbia – who lost to Scotland days later – in the Euro 2020 play-offs.
But there is no doubt they have the generational talent in Haaland, plus a supporting cast playing at an elite level, to trouble Scotland.
Georgia are also in the group and will still provide nightmares to some Scotland fans, after a 1-0 loss in Tbilisi in 2015. They are another nation with a talismanic figure, with Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in sensational form just now and has already earned the moniker “Kvaradona” from his club’s fans.
Cyprus will also be familiar to Scotland and Clarke, having been drawn in the same group for the last Euro qualifiers.
Scotland already have a play-off berth sewn up for the Euros by virtue of winning their Nations League group. But any complacency or dwelling in comfort zones will be quickly dispelled by Clarke, who knows Scotland cannot let current momentum drain away by thoughts of play-off security.
This is not the same Scotland side of 10 or even five years ago. They will be at the top table for the next round of Nations League fixtures and were a pot two team in Sunday’s draw, alongside England and France. The Scots progress has been steady but merited.
The summer’s play-off loss to Ukraine stung and the defeat to Ireland was a shocker. But Clarke’s side have shown they can stand and deliver big results when it matters.
Few expected Scotland to beat Denmark last year but they did so sensationally. The national team delivered again in a big way against Ukraine last month. Those type of performances will be needed again next year but Scotland have proven under Clarke they have quality in the tank.
Scotland to face former champions Spain and Norway in Euro 2024 qualifiers
