Pat Nevin believes Scotland can be considered as dark horses to triumph against the odds at Euro 2024.
Steve Clarke's side welcome Finland to Hampden Park in a friendly this week before making the trip to Germany, where they will open the tournament against the hosts on June 14.
Scotland will be hopeful of earning a first triumph over their opponents since 1999, when Don Hutchison scored the only goal in a 1-0 friendly victory, but they have yet to beat the Germans in a major tournament.
The Scots, who will also face Switzerland and Hungary in Group A, have reached successive European Championship finals, making it to four overall, but they are yet to make it past the first round.
But that is something Nevin, who represented Scotland for a decade between 1986 and 1996, insists will not happen this time around.
“I think this is the best chance that Scotland have had for progression for generations, obviously, because we've not got there a lot of the time," Nevin told Stats Perform.
"But this is a group that is a real possibility. The Hungarians and the Swiss are similar in quality to Scotland, so there's not a great deal between us. If I had to push it, I think we're better, player for player. Nothing would make me happier for Steve Clark, for the players, for the way the fans have got behind us, for us to get through to this next stage. I'm better than hopeful, I'm quietly confident.
"I've been asked who the dark horses are for the Euros quite a few times. And I honestly can think of only one team that is the obvious dark horses - it's Scotland.
"I look around all the other teams and I think, no, people don't rate Scotland that highly because you're too busy looking at England and how brilliant a team they are.
"They have a lot of players that have played in the Premier League or are at the top level in Scotland. Add on top of that a manager who has developed something extra special. I honestly think it's us, it's Scotland this time.
"Anything can happen in the Euros and that's one of the great things about it. Sometimes I wish the draws weren't done before because we know who we'll get if we're first and second, and it's going to be tough if we get through.
"Get the job done in hand first. The job in hand is to get out of the group. You know, it's going to be a tough one after that."
Sabitzer focused on last-16 qualification after Champions League heartache
Marcel Sabitzer insisted he will put his Champions League final defeat in the past as he prepares to help Austria reach the last-16 of Euro 2024.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder played the full duration of their 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid at Wembley earlier this month.
Los Blancos secured their 15th success in the competition thanks to goals late in the game from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior.
But Sabitzer played a starring role as Austria roared back from their defeat to France in their opening game of the competition, beating Poland 3-1 to bring it down to the final matchday.
Austria face the Netherlands in Berlin next Tuesday to conclude their Group D campaign, and know a win could see them finish top or second.
A draw or defeat could also leave Ralf Rangnick's side with a good chance of progressing as one of the four best third-placed teams.
"The possibilities then really open up," Sabitzer said.
"I know that from the Champions League, especially this season. Once you're on a run in the knockout phase anything can happen.
"The most important thing is to get through the group stage and into the round of 16 and then we'll see what happens next."
Brazil v Costa Rica: Endrick 'confident' of making Copa America impact
Endrick is confident he can help Brazil claim a 10th Copa America title as he prepares for his first international tournament with the Selecao Canarinho.
Brazil kickstart their campaign at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Monday against Costa Rica.
Dorival Junior's side will also face Paraguay and Colombia in Group E, hopeful of going one better this time around having lost to Argentina in the 2021 final.
The 17-year-old, who officially joins Real Madrid next month, has scored three goals in his last four games for Brazil but knows he will have to remain patient for his opportunity at the Copa America.
"Only God knows [when I will start]," Endrick said. I am very grateful to have Abel [Ferreira] as a coach, he knew when to play me.
"Everything is up to God and Dorival Junior, the professor. He is a spectacular coach. He is doing what is best for the Brazilian team.
"I have always been very precocious in my life and since I became a professional I have played against opponents who have always teased me, insulted me, talked about my family, my girlfriend.
"But I got used to it quickly because I was 16. I'm calm, and I hope I can help. I think it's right, in football you have to destabilise the other player.
"It's been like that since I arrived, so I've adapted, and I'm very confident that I can help the team."
For Costa Rica Gustavo Alfaro, he has experience at the Copa America having guided Ecuador to the quarter-finals of the previous tournament in 2021.
The 61-year-old also took them to the following year's World Cup, where they opened with a 2-0 win against hosts Qatar before drawing 1-1 with the Netherlands, but failed to reach the knockouts after losing 2-1 to Senegal in their final group game.
However, Alfaro faces a different proposition with Los Ticos. Costa Rica have failed to make it beyond the group stages in each of the last two appearances; they last did so in 2004, but their recent form holds reason for optimism.
Costa Rica have won four of their previous six international fixtures, losing only once over that stretch (3-1 to Argentina). They have also not conceded in any of their last three competitive fixtures, winning 15 of their previous 16 encounters when scoring the opening goal.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brazil - Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior played a starring role in Real Madrid's LaLiga and Champions League successes in 2023-24, and claiming a first international honour with his nation would surely put the 23-year-old in pole position to scoop the Ballon d'Or.
The Los Blancos star had 35 goal involvements (24 goals and 11 assists) in 39 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish side, his second-best campaign since his move to Madrid in 2021-22 (22 goals and 20 assists).
Costa Rica - Manfred Ugalde
Having failed to score for his new side, Spartak Moscow, after his move from FC Twente in January, Ugalde rediscovered his goal-scoring touch at the opportune moment heading into the tournament.
The 22-year-old striker grabbed a goal and three assists in Costa Rica's CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers against Grenada and Saint Kitts and Nevis, and will be hoping to continue that form in Inglewood against Brazil.
MATCH PREDICTION: BRAZIL WIN
Brazil and Costa Rica have faced each other twice in the Copa America, with both victories for the Brazilian team in 1997 (5-0) at the Estadio Ramon Tahuichi Aguilera and in 2004 (4-1) with Adriano scoring a hat-trick for Carlos Alberto Parreira's side.
The Selecao Canarinho have won 10 of their 11 meetings against their opponents, with their last defeat coming in the Panamerican Championship in March 1960 (3-0), with Brazil backed to continue their nine-game unbeaten run.
Costa Rica will look to continue their impressive record against CONMEBOL teams at the Copa America, having lost one of their last four matches against them (W2 D1).
Gustavo Alfaro's side will seek to string together victories for the first time against CONMEBOL opponents in the competition, having defeated Colombia 3-2 in the 2016 edition.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brazil - 71%
Costa Rica - 16.1%
Draw - 12.9%
Scotland ready to 'prove people wrong' against Hungary, says McGinn
John McGinn believes Scotland have the mentality and capability "to prove people wrong" heading into their final Group A fixture against Hungary in Stuttgart.
Steve Clarke's side know a victory is a must to give them the best chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of a major international tournament for the first time in their history.
Scotland have won two of their last three meetings with Hungary (L1), with this their first encounter since a 1-0 away win in March 2018.
Following their 5-1 thrashing to hosts Germany in their opening game, an injury-hit Tartan Army got a point on the board against Switzerland to keep their hopes of qualification alive.
"We've obviously had a lot of injuries along the way - but us Scots are best at enduring adversity," said McGinn. "Hopefully we can prove a lot of people wrong.
"We have players who've been involved in high-pressure matches, but we're not feeling pressure, we feel anticipation about being that team who changes things for Scottish football.
"I don't think a lot of people across Europe thought we could do it, so we want to be the ones who do.
"We all know the magnitude of the occasion. We have the chance to write our name into the history books."
A win for Clarke's side would put them on four points from their three group games which in previous tournaments, has proved enough to qualify as one of the best-ranked third-placed sides.
Hungary arrived in Germany on the back of a 14-game unbeaten run, but are winless in their last eight Euros matches (D4 L4). However, the Scotland head coach is not underestimating his opponents despite their form at the tournament.
"Nothing except three points for us is what we're thinking," said Clarke. "We need to get three points to at least finish third in the group and we'll see where that takes us in the competition.
"Everybody knows how big a game it is. You can talk and talk and talk about it.
"We probably did a little bit too much with the first one, so we're trying to underplay this one, if you ever can with a game of this magnitude. But we're trying to make sure we're well prepared and ready to go."
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