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EURO 2024

‘Please never leave!’: How Scottish fans won the hearts of Germans at Euro 2024

Scotland crashed out of Euro 2024 but the Tartan Army have made headlines for bringing joy to German cities and forging friendships with the locals. It has been wonderful to see, writes The Local Germany editor and proud Scot Rachel Loxton.

Published: 24 June 2024 12:58 CEST
Scotland and Germany fans mingle in Munich ahead of the opening Euro 2024 game.
Scotland and Germany fans mingle in Munich ahead of the opening Euro 2024 game. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sven Hoppe

There will be broken hearts in Scotland on Monday after the national men’s team were eliminated from Euro 2024 thanks to a late goal from Hungary during a tense match in Stuttgart.

But a lot of Germans will be feeling a little sad too – despite their national team topping the group and previously thrashing Scotland 5-1 in the opening game on June 14th.

That’s because a beautiful love affair has emerged between locals across Germany and the Tartan Army. 

Scotland’s games have taken them to Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart. In total, Germany has seen an estimated 200,000 Scots of all ages in the country for the games. In each city, supporters have made their mark.

On social media, many clips have been shared, from fan marches featuring kilts and bagpipes to tender connections. 

One clip of two kilt-clad Scotland supporters sheltering an elderly person with an umbrella in the Cologne rain while sharing a beer went viral and has been dubbed the most ‘wholesome moment’ of the competition so far. 

There has been a lot of laugh out loud silliness too. Who could forget an avalanche of Scots taking over Marienplatz in Munich in the run up to the first match, and the moment where a German reporter looked under the kilt of one fan (that is never advised!). 

All of this has made the Germans fall a bit in love with the Scots (and vice versa).

A small selection of comments on social media posts capture the feeling:

“In 50 years, every German grandad will be able to tell his grandchildren a crazy story about his Scottish friend and how they met in the summer of 2024.”

“And we absolutely need you back in the EU!”

“I didn’t realise that Germany-Scotland love was what I needed. Please never leave, Scots!”

The Tartan Army takes over Marienplatz in Munich on Friday June 14th ahead of the Germany vs Scotland game.

The Tartan Army takes over Marienplatz in Munich on Friday June 14th ahead of the Germany vs Scotland game. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Stefan Puchner

An article by German news magazine Der Spiegel published on Friday talked of the “Dudel, Jubel, Heiterkeit” (Dudel, cheer and merriment – the German word for bagpipes is Dudelsack) , summing up the blossoming infatuation.

In Cologne, local officials spoke of how much they loved the Tartan Army. “They drink a lot, they have fun, they have a party, they sing a lot, sing together with the Cologne inhabitants, sing together with the Swiss supporters, it was just amazing and perfect,” said Sven Stolz, Euro 2024 Cologne project leader.

The mayor of Cologne, Henriette Reker, said: “Dear Scots, those have been a wonderful couple of days with you. I could not be a happier mayor. You are always welcome to come back to Cologne!”

Meanwhile, a petition has been set up urging for an annual friendly match between Germany and Scotland.

As a Scot and long-time resident of Germany, it has been wonderful to see these scenes in my adopted country. 

Friends and family back home have messaged me throughout the tournament, keeping me up to date on the Scottish media’s reports on the Deutsch-Scottish friendship as well as sending viral social media posts. 

People in Scotland are seeing Germany in a new light, while those on the ground have got to experience the hospitality.

It’s also been great to see fans from other nations embracing Scotland and our partying. It’s made me feel extra proud to be Scottish, especially as a German resident. 

Scotland supporters have been genuinely delighted with their hosts and I’m sure that many of them will be back soon to see more of the country. Our Euro stint may be over but this love affair is just getting started. 

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EURO 2024

Can Germany’s hosting of Euro 2024 be judged a success so far?

As the group stage of Euro 2024 reaches its halfway stage the tournament has for the most part run smoothly but from transport issues to outbreaks of violence it hasn't been plain sailing.

Published: 26 June 2024 15:22 CEST
Can Germany's hosting of Euro 2024 be judged a success so far?

As Euro 2024 reaches the half way mark with the knock-out rounds to come the tournament has run fairly smoothly, but has not been without troubling incidents from flare ups of violence and severe transport issues for fans.

The Local considers the issues the tournament has had and what Germany has done to solve the problems.

Flare ups of violence and hooliganism 

Overall the tournament has been largely trouble free especially when compared to previous European football tournaments. We are a long way from the dark days of Euro 2000 and even Euro 2016, which were both hit by major outbreaks of trouble.

But there have been flare ups, most recently on Tuesday in Munich ahead of the Denmark vs Serbia match.

As thousands of Serbia fans gathered at Marienplatz there were clashes with police with bottles and chairs thrown in the direction of officers. Seven fans were arrested and several officers were injured. Images of the clashes were posted on social media.

There have been other clashes too, notably a huge brawl involving Serbia and England fans before their opening clash in Gelsenkirchen. There were also clashes between Turkey and Georgia fans inside the stadium during their Group F match.

But there were fears of a lot worse in the run up to the tournament, with German police openly admitting they had no idea how England fans would behave and how many Serbian hooligans would travel to the country.

Ap News, for example, wrote that “a recent surge in violence around football games is contributing to concerns over security when Germany hosts the European Championship.”

But German interior minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) insisted that police and security forces were ready for “all imaginable dangers”, adding that 22,000 officers would be on duty every day during the tournament.

German police have been working with foreign police forces to communicate about threats, particularly ahead of high-risk matches.

Germany has also stepped up checks at its borders and at train stations and airports. More than 400 people have been arrested since the start of the Euros and about 50 hooligans have been barred from entering Germany.

Cities overrun by fans and travel chaos

For those who don’t follow football or enjoy joining in the fanfare, among the more pressing issues with Euro 2024 is that German cities are overrun with fans.

With match games happening in ten cities around the country, and matches being broadcast on TVs from what feels like every bar and corner store in the country, the tournament is impossible to ignore. But not everyone is happy about it.

A survey by the opinion research institute Civey found that roughly half of Berlin residents are annoyed by the closure of Straße des 17. Juni for the city’s “fan mile”, which is the country’s largest fan zone. The fanzone will remain in place until July 25th.

READ ALSO: Where are the fan zones for Euro 2024 in Germany?

Outside of fan zones, residents have noticed congestion on city streets and packed public transport on match days in some areas.

As would be expected, virtually everything – from Deutsche Bahn trains to local pubs – is operating at a higher capacity with 2.7 million fans from abroad visiting Germany this month.

In particular, public transport in Gelsenkirchen has proven to be a hotspot for travel chaos following matches. The issue was initially reported after the England vs. Serbia match, when crowds of fans were left waiting for trains for hours after the game ended.

READ ALSO: ‘Welcome to Germany’ – Euro 2024 travel chaos raises questions about German efficiency

Bizarrely, representatives from local transport companies brushed off any criticism, suggesting that trains and buses were running effectively. But similar issues were seen again after the Spain vs. Italy match a few days later.

England fans might understandably fear returning to Gelsenkirchen for their last 16 match on Sunday.

It’s not all bad – in fact, for many it’s all good

Even among those who don’t tap into the football frenzy, the championship and all the events and tourists it brings, do offer a chance for local German residents to meet an interesting mix of European visitors.

Among some of the touching highlights so far were Germany falling in love with Scottish fans and Turkish immigrants celebrating their home country’s victory across the country.

A special mention also goes out to Dutch fans who have reliably brought a sea of orange to their team’s games. Pre-match scenes of thousands of orange-clad supporters bopping to the earworm “Left Right” have predictably gone viral.

“I think fans from all over Europe feel very welcome with us,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has said.

Despite the aforementioned challenges, the overall experience of Euro 2024 has so far been positive off the pitch.

With the big matches yet to come the stakes will be raised another notch in the coming weeks, both on and off the pitch.

READ ALSO: How (and where) to watch Euro 2024 games in Germany this week

With reporting by AFP.

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