Germany fans dreaming after 'perfect night'

Germany made an perfect commencement to their location European Championship arsenic a 5-1 demolition of Scotland sewage fans dreaming again.

Euro 2024 expectations had been debased contempt nan three-time European champions, 1 of football's long-time powerhouses, hosting nan tournament.

But Germany were hugely awesome against, admittedly, a painfully mediocre Scotland - and recorded their biggest Euros win ever.

Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and a Kai Havertz punishment gave Julian Nagelsmann's broadside a 3-0 half-time lead, pinch Ryan Porteous dismissed for Scotland pursuing a reckless challenge.

With nan crippled practically won, Germany eased up earlier Niclas Fullkrug hammered successful a 4th – and had a 5th disallowed.

Antonio Rudiger's ain extremity gave nan Scots thing to cheer astir for a fewer moments earlier Emre Can made it 5-1 pinch nan last footwear of nan game.

"You person to in installments Germany for their performance. They were nether unit coming into nan tournament," said ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton, who was astatine nan Allianz Arena for BBC Radio 5 Live.

"They smothered Scotland and blew them distant successful nan first half. They took their ft disconnected nan state successful nan 2nd half. It could person been a acold bigger separator than 5-1."

Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin added that Germany looked for illustration imaginable champions.

"There were small bits that reminded maine of Manchester City," he said. "The measurement they pressed really precocious and you must beryllium capable to play done them.

"I besides loved nan intelligence of Julian Nagelsmann who saw wherever Scotland's weaknesses were and perfectly punishes them and destroys them."

Nagelsmann said of his team's victory: "I'm happy. It's not easy to person nan first crippled successful our ain country.

"We were superb successful nan first 20 minutes. It's a bully motion that our players complained astir conceding."

Germany person lived done footballing nightmares successful caller awesome tournaments – going retired successful nan group shape successful nan past 2 World Cups and nan past 16 to England astatine Euro 2020.

This was Germany's first competitory crippled successful 18 months since their 2022 World Cup early exit.

As Euro 2024 hosts they did not request to qualify, truthful they played 15 friendlies instead. They won six and mislaid six of those.

After a 4-1 conclusion by Japan successful September, Hansi Flick was sacked and replaced by Nagelsmann. Former Bayern leader Nagelsmann won 4 of his 8 friendlies successful charge, but did suffer to Turkey and Austria successful nan abstraction of 4 days successful November.

Ex-Germany world Thomas Hitzlsperger, a BBC pundit this summer, said up of nan large kick-off: "All nan talk and anticipation successful Germany is astir nan anticipation of a 2nd 'summer fairytale', aliases 'Sommermarchen', which is what nan World Cup became known arsenic erstwhile we hosted it successful 2006.

"Every shot instrumentality successful Germany wants to person a bully summertime together, but they request a squad that nan fans tin place with."

The relationship is back.

Archie Rhind-Tutt, a German shot expert, said connected BBC Radio 5 Live: "Overall for Julian Nagelsmann, a cleanable night. Germans are unbelievably captious erstwhile it comes to their team.

"They will beryllium very happy and relieved because don't hide they mislaid their first crippled successful their past 3 tournaments. They really needed that to assistance off."

"It was a cleanable commencement for Germany," said erstwhile Scotland striker Ally McCoist connected ITV. "They person been fantabulous pinch immoderate superb performances. You tin consciousness thing increasing pinch Germany."

Some of nan pre-tournament concerns had been astir Germany's striking options – aliases deficiency thereof.

Would they spell pinch Havertz, nan mendacious 9 from Arsenal, aliases Fullkrug – nan imposing old-school striker from Borussia Dortmund?

Ex-Germany midfielder Steffen Freund told BBC Sport successful nan build-up to nan tournament: "Since Miroslav Klose we don't person a world-class striker truthful that's why possibly we're not apical successful nan world."

But Freund added: "It's bully for Germany to person 2 strikers pinch a different style of football."

And Germany looked bully present pinch both.

Havertz was flanked by 21-year-old sensations Musiala and Wirtz – who some sewage connected nan scoresheet successful nan opening 19 minutes.

Germany are nan first federation successful European Championship history to person 2 players aged 21 aliases younger people successful nan aforesaid match.

Fullkrug came connected for Havertz aft nan hr people and thumped a awesome effort into nan apical area earlier being denied different extremity by nan video adjunct referee for offside.

"There are immoderate bully headaches that Julian Nagelsmann has successful position of Fullkrug coming on," said Sutton.

"It's a cleanable evening for nan German team. To get up and moving successful a tourney for illustration this, their assurance will spell done nan roof. The German fans will commencement fancying nan team, but you person to chuck into that equation conscionable really bad Scotland were."

Musiala really caught nan oculus and nan Bayern Munich player, dazzling astatine his location ground, near nan transportation to a opinionated ovation successful nan 2nd half.

The 21-year-old, who represented England astatine younker level having spent overmuch of his puerility successful nan country, had 5 successful dribbles. No different Germany subordinate managed one.

"Ronaldinho is Musiala's hero," said ex-England striker Ian Wright connected ITV. "You tin spot nan resemblance pinch Kaka successful him. There is simply a batch much to spot pinch Musiala and Wirtz. Coming up against amended teams we mightiness moreover spot much from them."

BBC Sport's Gary Rose:

In Hamburg, which has 1 of nan biggest instrumentality zones astatine Euro 2024 pinch a capacity for 40,000 people, German supporters understandably heavy outweighed Scotland supporters, pinch nan metropolis much than 500 miles distant from wherever nan crippled was taking place.

It was a friends ambiance passim betwixt 2 sets of supporters who were not expecting excessively overmuch from their respective sides, but who were wished to bask themselves nevertheless.

However, Germany's show amazed those fans we said to.

"We didn't expect this," Andreas said. "Germany person not been awesome successful nan caller past truthful we thought it would beryllium closer."

Both Andreas and his friend Felix are expecting Florian Wirtz to beryllium a prima astatine nan tournament, but were guarded connected conscionable really acold they deliberation Germany will go.

Leaving nan instrumentality zone, Germany fans were chanting and car horns were blaring.

Prior to nan crippled location wasn't overmuch buzz astir nan metropolis for nan tourney but this emphatic triumph mightiness conscionable person changed that.

BBC Sport’s Emma Sanders:

There were respective instrumentality parks crossed Stuttgart showing nan game. But 1 mini barroom pinch astir 12 seats had 3 ample screens pinch nan crippled on. People came successful pinch German flags wrapped astir their shoulders and peered done nan windows from nan outside.

Before kick-off they shouted astatine nan show of nan trophy. Mikel, nan barroom owner, offered free drinks to regular customers aft Germany's 2nd goal. One man successful nan area stood up and chanted Musiala's name.

After nan 3rd goal, everyone shouted and huddled together outside. More fans started coming successful and buying brew from nan fridge. One of nan workers, a Hoffenheim fan, said they showed shot "all nan time" and that successful a tourney "you cannot cognize what happens", but they are assured Germany will do well.