Euro 2020: Scotland's lack of firepower proves costly as long-awaited return ends in early exit

The 3-1 defeat to Croatia sent Steve Clarke's side home at the group stage but a young core of players means 2024 is an attainable target

Scotland captain Andrew Robertson leads the applause of the crowd after the defeat to Croatia at Hampden Park. AFP

Scotland players clap the supporters after the Euro 2020 Group D match against Croatia. AFP

Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay attempts a shot on goal against Croatia. AFP

Scotland defender Scott McKenna reacts to a missed chance against Croatia. AFP

Scotland defender Scott McKenna (C) reacts after a missed chance. AFP

Scotland goalkeeper David Marshall at full stretch as Luka Modric scores for Croatia. Getty Images

Croatia forward Ivan Perisic celebrates scoring their third goal against Scotland. Reuters

Croatia midfielder Luka Modric celebrates after scoring his team's second goal against Scotland. EPA

Scotland manager Steve Clarke watches on from the touchline at Hampden Park. AFP

Steve Clarke greets Andrew Robertson after Scotland lose to Croatia at Hampden Park. PA

Scotland players and manager Steve Clarke after the defeat to Croatia. PA

Luka Modric (C) celebrates with Croatia teammates after their win over Scotland. AFP

It was a twist on one of the more fatalistic tournament songs ever released. Del Amitri captured the pessimism in the Scottish psyche with their 1998 World Cup anthem ‘Don’t Come Home Too Soon.’ Scotland duly exited at the first opportunity and didn’t come back to a major tournament for 23 years. Then, however, there was a shift: they went out at home.

Tuesday's 3-1 defeat to Croatia at Hampden Park extended an unenviable record. It was Scotland's 11th tournament and no European country has been at anything like as many without experiencing the knockout stages.

There was the familiar sense that fortune had not favoured Scotland: Billy Gilmour turned in a man-of-the-match performance against England only to test positive for coronavirus and miss the Croatia game. Luka Modric's timeless display of quality meant it was unlikely the apprentice would have out-passed and outclassed the master but Scotland could lament the loss of their precocious playmaker.

But their pivotal game was not the last but the first. Scotland drew with World Cup semi-finalists, in England, and lost to its runners-up, in Croatia. They can reflect on the chance John McGinn spurned at 1-1 but the real missed opportunity was the 2-0 defeat to the Czech Republic.

It was the one match where Steve Clarke, an astute tactician who has done a fine job, got his selection wrong. It was where an unfortunate absence harmed them most: Kieran Tierney makes a system work but he was injured.

With Gilmour omitted and Scott McTominay selected in midfield, Scotland fielded a back three without much passing ability. With Tierney and McTominay restored to the defence, they moved the ball upfield much better as they excelled in holding England.

But they had needed to beat the Czechs and benching Che Adams was a mistake. Scotland improved when the Southampton striker came on to add movement. The Leicester-born Adams is a find, but neither he nor his forward sidekick Lyndon Dykes could find the net. They had 13 attempts, with only three on target. Scotland’s tournament yielded 41 shots and a solitary goal, from Callum McGregor.

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Croatia 3 Scotland 1: player ratings

SCOTLAND RATINGS: David Marshall – 6 Scotland’s No 1 prevented the score from getting bigger, particularly when he tipped over Luka Modric’s long-range shot. He was unlucky to concede the first two goals and there was very little he could have done to have saved either. AFP

Stephen O'Donnell – 5 The right wing-back made several promising forward runs, but ultimately they came to nothing. He also produced a good header to clear the ball away from goal, but this was tempered by a number of missed headers and poor tackles. AFP

Grant Hanley – 6 Norwich’s centre-back will be disappointed that he was forced off due to injury, especially as he was having a big impact at the back. EPA

Andy Robertson – 7 Scotland’s skipper showed why he is one of the best attacking left-backs in the game, as he provided a number of excellent crosses. His corners were a constant danger, too, though few were met with any attacking threat. AFP

Kieran Tierney – 7 The young talent showcased his ability as he came up with a few decent surges forward. However, he was second best to Perisic as Croatia got their third goal. AFP

Scott McTominay – 5 Manchester United’s 24-year-old midfielder contributed a lot defensively but was partly at fault for Croatia’s opener, as he lost Vlašić in the box. He nearly scored from a header but it went over the bar, his performance summing up Scotland’s night. EPA

John McGinn – 8 One of Scotland’s best performers, the midfield maestro showed great pressing as well as some key forward passes. His ability to turn players was on show, but his team’s performance didn’t match his. AFP

Callum McGregor – 7 Billy Gilmour’s replacement was guilty of wasting possession early on, though he redeemed himself as he scored a great goal from the edge of the box. EPA

Stuart Armstrong – 5 Southampton’s 29-year-old was subbed because he lacked composure on the ball. Apart from a few good passes, he didn’t really contribute much to the game. Reuters

Ché Adams – 4 Another poor performance. His positioning was good and he nearly scored an acrobatic goal, but he made poor choices throughout and wasted a good chance from long range before being taken off. Reuters

Lyndon Dykes – 3 The QPR striker was searching for his third Scotland goal but he had little involvement apart from some good pressing later on in the game. It was a match he’ll want to forget. Reuters

SUB: Kevin Nisbet – 6 The young striker brought an injection of energy to Scotland’s game as he constantly chased down the opposition when they were on the ball. He probably should have been brought on earlier as he didn’t have long enough to make a real difference. AFP

SUB: Ryan Fraser – 5 A poor substitute appearance for the Newcastle player. He had very little impact on the game and the few chances he did have were wasted. AFP

SUB: Nathan Patterson – 6 You could see the hunger and passion when he came on. He utilised his long throw to set off one attack and battled hard to win the ball back on numerous occasions. EPA

SUB: Scott McKenna – 6 The defender replaced the injured Hanley and he was booked for a strong challenge as soon as he came on. He later settled and put in a good shift at the back. His aerial presence was handy for Scotland to deny Croatia a number of counter attacks. AFP

CROATIA RATINGS: Dominik Livakovic – 8 Livakovic put in a strong performance and was one of his side’s best players. He made a number of good punches to clear any danger, as well as a great save to deny Scotland late on. EPA

Josip Juranovic – 7 The right-back provided a brilliant assist from a whipped cross into the box. He constantly made good moves forward and was never caught out when getting back. A strong game from the 25-year-old. AFP

Dejan Lovren – 6 The Ex-Liverpool defender contributed a combination of bad tackles and good defending. He fouled Adams early with an unnecessary foul, but he later headed clear a ball bound for Scotland’s strikers. EPA

Domagoj Vida – 6 The veteran defender defended well apart from a very poor clearance straight out of the box to McGregor, who then scored. AFP

Jośko Gvardiol – 5 He made some good runs forward early on and put in some great crosses, but he was poor when defending, either missing the ball or giving away a needless foul. It wasn’t a surprise to see him taken off. AFP

Mateo Kovacic – 7 Chelsea’s midfield man had a good game and he switched the play from wing to wing. He also used good strength to deny Scotland a counter attack. He capped off his performance with a simple assist for Luka Modric. EPA

Marcelo Brozovic – 7 Making his 62nd appearance for his country, the midfielder made a number of small fast-paced passes as well as a great through ball to Gvardiol. He did, however, give away a few needless fouls. EPA

Ivan Perisic –9 The first Croatian to score at a World Cup final scored again tonight as he got on the end of a Modric Corner. He showed great skill to bring down a cross to set up the first goal. Overall, he was a vital part of the win. AFP

Luka Modric – 9 The Croatia captain was the best player on the pitch and his sublime strike with the outside of his foot from long range was one of the goals of the tournament so far. His passing was superb and his corner delivery nearly always found a Croatian head. What a performance! AFP

Nikola Vlašić – 7 The CSKA Moscow striker troubled the Scotland defence throughout. He tucked away the first goal of the night and though his positioning in the box wasn’t always perfect, he always stepped up when he was needed. AFP

Bruno Petković – 5 He rarely found himself on the end of crosses and was very easily marked out of the game by Scotland’s defence. He was taken off late on. Reuters

SUB: Borna Barisic – 6 –The Ranger’s defender put in a solid shift, much to the annoyance of the home fans. He snubbed out most Scotland attacks and helped his team take the three points. AFP

SUB: Andrej Kramaric – 6 Croatia’s first substitute didn’t get on the scoresheet but he did show some good hold up play to let his teammates get up the pitch. AFP

SUB: Ante Rebic – 5 A few of the AC Milan striker’s fouls were silly and unnecessary but he was brought on to disrupt the play and keep his team ahead in the latter stages, and that was exactly what he did. Reuters

SUB: Luka Ivanusec – 5 The attacking midfielder replaced Vlasic and didn’t have much of an impact. AFP

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They showed sufficient intent, but not enough quality in the final third. It explains Scotland’s long exile from the major stages. They have showed solidity and spirit many times in the last two decades and have had occasional moments of inspiration, but smaller nations can be more reliant on special players. No Scot has scored 20 international goals this millennium. They have long lacked a modern-day Denis Law or Kenny Dalglish.

One fundamental difference between Wales and Scotland is that the outstanding Welsh players are more natural attackers and thus likelier match-winners. Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey inspired Wales to their pivotal victory over Turkey. McGinn has been prolific outside tournaments for Scotland but the reality is that two of their four best players – the Aston Villa man and McTominay – operate at the base of midfield for their clubs and the other two, Tierney and Andrew Robertson, as left-backs.

The mantra from the captain Robertson and the manager was the same. “We'll make sure it's not 23 years until we go to the next tournament,” Clarke said. Dropped points in World Cup qualifying renders it less likely they will be in Qatar next year but a 24-team European Championships benefits Scotland.

Clarke has promoted youth – Nathan Patterson and Gilmour, both born in 2001, were uncapped a few months ago – and only veteran goalkeeper David Marshall of the starters is over 30.

This is a relatively young group and 2024 may represent the best chance for the Robertson-Tierney-McTominay-McGinn generation to achieve something that eluded all of their predecessors. They ended one wait for Scotland but another goes on.