Ryan Christie, the last Scottish player to touch the ball at Euro 2024, recalls the sting of a 1‑0 loss to Hungary that sealed the team’s exit. The moment, when referee Facundo Tello blew the whistle before he could take a throw‑in, echoed past defeats and left fans in Stuttgart hollow for a day together.

Christie says the pain fuels a chip on Scotland’s shoulder as they head into their first World Cup in 28 years. “We’re desperate to be the first team to reach the knockout stage,” he told The Wayne Rooney Show, hoping the squad can rewrite a narrative that has haunted them for years in recent matches.

Coach Steve Clarke credits the change in setup for the team’s renewed confidence. He praised Christie’s growth from a quiet youngster to a leader who now flies home early to bond with teammates. Clarke’s trust in players off the pitch—allowing days off for golf—has tightened squad unity and preparation for the tournament in Stuttgart arena.

With the weight of a decade‑long disappointment behind them, Scotland will press for a historic group‑stage exit. The nation watches, hoping Christie’s fire and Clarke’s system translate into results that lift the Tartan Army from the sidelines and etch a new chapter in Scottish football history for the world stage in the World Cup tournament.