Scotland Men's Football Team

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland international Erin Cuthbert believes an apology is "not required" from Andy Robertson after the men's captain said sorry to the nation following their Euro 2024 exit.

After Sunday's 1-0 loss to Hungary knocked Scotland out, an emotional Robertson apologised to the Tartan Army for "letting you down", but Cuthbert says the side's effort cannot be faulted.

"Andy feels the weight of the country of his shoulders so I wasn't surprised to hear [him apologising]," she said.

"He saw the level of support, everything on social media, maybe he doesn't feel the performances have matched that.

"An apology is not required because we've all had the time of our lives here. No matter what, the boys have given 100% effort. As Scots, we can't fault that."

Cuthbert, who has 68 caps for her country, also backed Steve Clarke to recover from the latest failure at a major tournament.

"He's got us to two major tournaments so he's done a great job," Cuthbert added. "We've fallen short at the tournaments and I'm leaving this one thinking 'what if?' because I think we're good enough.

"I know Steve Clarke, he's a good guy and he'll pick himself up, dust himself down and reflect. Whatever happens, we'll come back fighting."

Image source, PA Media

Callum McGregor says the "ball just didn't drop" for Scotland in their Euro 2024 loss against Hungary.

Steve Clarke's side missed out on the chance of a historic place in the last 16 with a 1-0 defeat in their final group stage game.

"It's a huge disappointment," McGregor said.

"There was so much hope and expectation, we thought this was going to be the time we did it.

"The players gave everything but sometimes in football the ball just doesn't drop where you need it to drop. That was probably the case tonight.

"The point wasn't enough for us, it would have been a big ask for us to go through on two points. We knew we had to try and win the game. You throw everything at it and you get hit on the counter-attack. That goal was probably irrelevant.

"We've been away from these competitions for a long time. It's building all the time and sometimes you have to suffer disappointment to understand the level.

"We definitely had the confidence and belief we could get the job done. Hungary made it a difficult game, like we knew they would, and they found the moment of quality which we never quite did."

Image source, PA Media

• John McGinn won five fouls in this match, the most by a Scotland player in a major tournament game since Christian Dailly won six against Norway at the 1998 World Cup.

• Grant Hanley completed 69 passes against Hungary, the most by a Scotland player in a major tournament game that Opta has on record (1974 World Cup onwards). Hanley also had more touches in the opposition box than any other Scottish player (four).

• Scotland completed 249 passes in the first half, the most they have completed in the first half of a major tournament match on record (1974 World Cup onwards).

• There have only been two instances at Euro 2024 of a team failing to have a shot in the first half of a match and both have been Scotland - against Germany and now against Hungary.

• Hungary ended a run of eight Euro matches without a win, registering their first victory since a 2-0 win over Austria at Euro 2016 – this was also their first clean sheet since that win.

• Scotland had just 17 shots at Euro 2024 in total – since the group stage was introduced in 1980, that is the joint fewest by a nation in a group stage, along with Northern Ireland at Euro 2016.

• Hungary’s goal scored by Kevin Csoboth in the 100th minute was the latest goal ever scored in a European Championship match (excluding extra-time), timed at 99 minutes and 32 seconds.

• This was Scotland’s 12th major tournament group stage and in 50% of those they have failed to win a single match – at the 1954, 1958, 1986 and 1998 World Cups and Euro 2020 and 2024.

Image source, PA Media

Scotland's Scott McKenna says it will "take months" for the squad to process their Euro 2024 disappointment.

The Scots were knocked out of the tournament after a 1-0 defeat to Hungary on Sunday night.

"We're massively disappointed," McKenna said.

"I don't have a way to describe the feeling in the changing room after the game.

"We came here wanting to win the game and try and do something no Scotland team has done before but it wasn't to be.

"I think it's a bit too soon to reflect on the game. I think the overriding emotion is disappointment.

"It's a fantastic squad to be part of, it's been a brilliant experience but just a bit of frustration we couldn't take it a step further.

"Not just the fans in the stadium, thousands who have been outside the stadium, even the ones that didn't get to Germany. They've all been backing us massively. we hope they enjoyed it we're just disappointed we couldn't take it one step further for them.

"It will take a few weeks, maybe even months, to process but it's a group of players that certainly can pick ourselves up and hopefully qualify for more tournaments in the future."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, PA Media

This won't be a popular opinion, but Scotland finished exactly where they should have in group A - bottom.

Let's remind ourselves of the teams' respective world rankings: Germany, 16th; Switzerland, 19th; Hungary, 27th; Scotland, 39th.

Wonder of wonders: that's exactly the order they finished in the group, with Scotland living up to their seeding: 4th.

To have done any better, Steve Clarke needed to get his team to do what it did in qualifying and over-perform. The form that brought the big wins over Spain and Norway was nowhere to be seen here.

Indeed, not only did Scotland fail to exceed their normal levels, they actually did the opposite and under-performed.

Three shots on target in the entire tournament? 17 shots of any description across all three matches? It simply doesn't cut it at this level.

There are mitigating circumstances, of course. The list of key players missing is far too long for a country not blessed with the deepest of squads.

Then there's the issue of expectation management. Far better teams than this current Scotland one have failed to progress from their groups at major tournaments.

Indeed, better Scotland teams have even failed to qualify for tournaments at all. So from where did the notion emerge that Steve Clarke could manoeuvre Scotland above a Swiss side who've just qualified for their sixth successive tournament knock-out phase and the best Hungary side in nearly 70 years?

It's fanciful stuff, when you drill down into the detail.

Image source, Reuters

Angus Gunn says the effort Scotland showed throughout Euro 2024 demonstrated to the fans and the country how much it meant to the players.

The defeat to Hungary ended the Scots' campaign that saw them pick up one point.

"It's hard to speak to be honest," the keeper said.

"I thought everyone gave their best out there. The effort we gave showed the fans and the country what it means to us.

"When we do look back, we created chances, we had opportunities, and it didn't fall for us.

"At the end of the day, we're out and nothing really matters."

Image source, Reuters

Andy Robertson says Hungary's late goal against Scotland was a "sucker punch" after the players "gave everything".

The captain was subbed off late on in the 1-0 defeat to Hungary that ended Scotland's Euro 2024 hopes.

"There's nothing really to say to be honest," the defender said.

"We gave it everything.

"We knew we had to win this game, and they've hit us on the counter-attack. It could have gone either way, but that's football - that's how it goes. It will take a long time to get over this one.

"We had a lot of possession, first half, without doing anything with it. We had to find that cutting edge and go for it a wee bit more. We did go for it, but we got sucker-punched. A draw wasn't going to be enough realistically.

"Tonight and for a long time we have to get over this. It's a tough one. It's devastating. All the lads are absolutely gutted. I will say thank you to all the supporters; sorry for letting you all down."

Scotland crashed out of Euro 2024 in the most heart-wrenching fashion as Kevin Csoboth's 100th-minute winner earned Hungary a stunning late victory.

The Scots, who could still have held faint hopes of the last 16 with a draw, were stung on the counter-attack to spark bedlam in the Stuttgart Arena.

It means Steve Clarke's side, who didn't register a shot on target themselves until injury time, finish on one point and once again fail to make it out of a group at a major tournament.

Hungary, who lost Barnabas Varga to a sickening injury, finish Group A in third and still have a chance of going through as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Have your say on the game here, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn made four saves in the 1-0 defeat to Hungary.

You voted the 28-year-old as Scotland's best player with a score of 5.21 out of 10.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland manager Steve Clarke tells BBC Sport:

"The goal comes as a consequence of us trying to win the game.

"The goal is almost irrelevant. The moment in the game for me was the penalty. It was 100% a penalty. Someone has to explain to me why it wasn't a penalty because otherwise I'm thinking there's something wrong.

"I don't understand how VAR can look at that and say it's not a penalty.

"It was always a one-goal game. We didn't manage to get the goal, we opened up at the end to try and get it.

"The overriding feeling is to be sad for everybody, for the supporters and the country and the players are just as sad as everyone else."