It is now or never for Steve Clarke’s side in Group A at Euro 2024. We look ahead to Sunday’s decisive meeting with our Scotland vs Hungary prediction and preview.
Scotland vs Hungary Stats: The Key Insights
- The Opta supercomputer predicts a close-fought encounter, with Hungary winning 37.1% of pre-match simulations and Scotland triumphing in 38%.
- Scotland have won two of their last three international meetings with Hungary (L1).
- Hungary are winless in eight consecutive European Championship games (D4 L4).
Scotland will be entering the last-chance saloon when they meet Hungary on Sunday in Stuttgart, knowing only a victory can help them through to the last 16 at Euro 2024.
Steve Clarke made his intentions clear before this tournament started, reiterating four points remain the target for Scotland to progress from Group A in Germany.
A 5-1 hammering by Julian Nagelsmann’s host nation on Matchday 1 dented those ambitions, though a spirited 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Wednesday leaves it all to play for heading into their final group game.
That draw left second-placed Switzerland three points clear of Scotland, who will be without Kieran Tierney for the next clash after the full-back left the pitch on a stretcher on MD 2.
Scott McTominay was eventually credited with Scotland’s early opener against Switzerland, cannoning in with the help of a fortuitous Fabian Schär deflection, but Xherdan Shaqiri levelled with a sumptuous finish soon after.
Since the start of 2023, McTominay has scored eight goals in 10 competitive internationals, only one fewer than all other Scottish players combined in that period (9 goals). The midfielder has also had four of Scotland’s 13 shots at Euro 2024, as well as eight of their 27 touches in the opposition box.
Heading into Sunday, Scotland will be looking to reach the European Championship knockout rounds for the first time in history. The omens are somewhat positive, too, as their only two group-stage wins from 11 games at this tournament have come on MD 3.
They beat CIS 3-0 in 1992 and Switzerland 1-0 four years later, but can Clarke’s side do it again when they meet Group A’s bottom side?
Hungary suffered a fatal blow on MD 2 as Jamal Musiala and Ilkay Gündogan scored in either half of Germany’s 2-0 win at Stuttgart Arena, the venue again for this next meeting.
Marco Rossi’s team are now winless in eight consecutive European Championship games (D4 L4), since a 2-0 win over Austria in their opening match at Euro 2016, leaving progression to the knockout stages as a hopeful ask.
Indeed, the only nation to struggle through a longer winless spell at this tournament was Russia between 1988 and 2004 (9 games – including matches as Soviet Union/CIS).
Qualification now seems an improbable task for Rossi’s side, who have only won one of their last 17 games at major tournaments (Euros + World Cup) against European nations (D5 L11) – the aforementioned win over Austria. In fact, the supercomputer gives them just a 27.4% chance of reaching the last 16.
Hungary will not go down without a fight, though, and their 11 shots against Nagelsmann’s side were the most Germany have faced at the Euros since the Netherlands managed 14 in 2012.
Captain Dominik Szoboszlai showed glimpses of his usual best against Germany as well, while Hungary have an experienced campaigner to call upon at the back if they are to get anything from this game.
Willi Orbán leads all Hungarian players at Euro 2024 for possession won (12), successful passes (82), tackles made (6) and only Barnabás Varga (16) has won more duels than Orbán (11).
Yet regardless of Orbán’s brilliance, Hungary have lost both games at this tournament – including their 3-1 defeat to Switzerland on MD1 – and could lose all matches at a major competition for just a third time in history.
Having lost both games at Euro 1972 and all three group games at the 1978 World Cup, Rossi will be desperate to avoid an unwanted feat here – even if his side cannot make it through to the knockout rounds.
Scotland vs Hungary Head-to-Head
With so much riding on the line, Scotland will fancy their chances after winning two of their last three meetings with Hungary (L1).
This will be their first encounter since a 1-0 away win in March 2018, however, when Matthew Phillips scored the only goal in a friendly victory.
This pair have never met in competitive action, too, with all nine of their previous meetings coming in international friendlies (three wins for Scotland, four wins for Hungary, two draws).
Will it be a memorable maiden clash for Clarke’s men?
Scotland vs Hungary Prediction
The Opta supercomputer struggled to split these two sides, with Hungary triumphing in 37.1% of 10,000 pre-match simulations and Scotland winning 38.0%.
Clarke’s men will be fully aware only a win is good enough in Stuttgart, though a draw was forecast in 24.9% of data-led sims.
Scotland still have a 40.7% chance of reaching the last 16, according to Opta’s Euro 2024 predictions, while Hungary hold just a 32.9% likelihood of doing the same.
Scotland vs Hungary Squads
Scotland
Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly, Zander Clark, Andy Robertson, Anthony Ralston, Grant Hanley, Greg Taylor, Jack Hendry, Kieran Tierney, Liam Cooper, Ross McCrorie, Ryan Porteous, Scott McKenna, Billy Gilmour, Callum McGregor, James Forrest, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Lewis Morgan, Ryan Christie, Ryan Jack, Scott McTominay, Stuart Armstrong, Ché Adams, Lawrence Shankland, Tommy Conway.
Head coach: Steve Clarke
Hungary
Dénes Dibusz, Péter Gulácsi, Péter Szappanos, Ádám Lang, Attila Fiola, Attila Szalai, Bendegúz Bolla, Botond Balogh, Endre Botka, Loïc Négo, Márton Dárdai, Milos Kerkez, Willi Orbán, Zsolt Nagy, Ádám Nagy, András Schäfer, Callum Styles, Dániel Gazdag, Dominik Szoboszlai, Krisztofer Horváth, László Kleinheisler, Mihály Kata, Roland Sallai, Barnabás Varga, Kevin Csoboth, Martin Ádám.
Head coach: Marco Rossi
Scotland vs Hungary Predicted Lineups
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