June 14th 2024.
Wayne Rooney had an interesting take on Scotland's chances at Euro 2024, stating that neither Scott McTominay nor Andy Robertson would be the key player for the team. The Tartan Army, as they are fondly known, are set to kick off their tournament against Germany, the hosts, in Munich on Friday night. Despite their impressive performance in the qualifiers, many predict that Scotland may struggle to make it out of the tough Group A, which also includes Hungary and Switzerland.
However, Rooney believes that Scotland's strong team spirit and talented players, such as captain and Liverpool defender Robertson and Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, could help them overcome the odds. He also highlighted the importance of Manchester United midfielder McTominay, who surprised many by scoring seven crucial goals during the qualifiers, a feat only surpassed by the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane.
But for Rooney, the most crucial player for Scotland's success or failure at the Euros is someone who doesn't even play in the Premier League. As he expressed on The Overlap Fan Debate, presented by Sky Bet, the former England and United legend believes that Angus Gunn will hold the key to Scotland's fate. The 28-year-old goalkeeper, who was born in Norwich, switched his allegiance from England to Scotland in 2020 and is now the No.1 choice ahead of Liam Kelly and Zander Clarke.
Rooney explained that if Gunn performs well, Scotland could have a chance of advancing from the group stage. But if he doesn't, it could be a difficult task for the team. Despite only having 10 appearances for his country, Gunn has already conceded 11 goals and kept five clean sheets. However, he has yet to face a challenge like the one he will encounter at the Euros. In addition to his international duties, Gunn also helped his club, Norwich, reach the Championship play-offs this season, conceding 52 goals in 43 games and keeping 14 clean sheets.
While some may hope for Scotland to fail at the Euros, Rooney is rooting for the home nation and believes in their chances. "I want Scotland to do well," he said. "Whenever they've gone to tournaments, whether it's Wales, Republic of Ireland, Scotland - I always want them to do well." In his opinion, Switzerland will finish at the bottom of the group, while Germany will make it to the next round. It will then be a close battle between Scotland and Hungary for the remaining spot. But regardless of the outcome, Rooney has faith in Scotland's ability to produce talented players and hopes that their league will continue to grow and improve.
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