Germany 0-0 Scotland: Fans home and abroad pack out pubs and fan zones and settle in for tournament opener after 150,000 supporters descended on Munich as Euro 2024 finally kicks off

Scottish shot fans location and overseas person packed retired pubs and instrumentality zones arsenic they settee successful for the tourney opener aft 150,000 supporters descended connected Munich earlier today.

Scotland's shot fanatics person invaded the German metropolis successful a rowdy riot of colour and sound arsenic Euro 2024 yet got underway. 

The Tartan Army's festivities forced warnings of overcrowding and the sounds of bagpipes screamed done the German city's streets.

As the location federation anticipation to footwear disconnected their run with a striking victory, British supporters painted the streets bluish arsenic they arrived connected wide wearing kilts and boozing connected Buckfast.

The large and the bully from the bluish federation flooded to Europe - with everyone from Sir Alex Ferguson to First Minister Jon Swinney joining the celebratory ranks arsenic they posed for photos alongside travelling pals.

Setting the barroom for the competition's festivities, The Tartan Army lived up to their anthem 'No Scotland No Party' arsenic they transverse the continent successful campervans and adjacent by motorcycle to cheer connected Steve Clarke's side.

And portion songwriter Nick Morgan's tune admits 'nobody's saying we're gonna triumph it' the hoards of fans person shown their steadfast committedness to the bask the evening - packing the Marienplatz supporters from this morning.

But the time has not each been creaseless sailing - arsenic successful Berlin cops person descended connected a fanzone alongside bomb-sniffing dogs and disposal experts aft a suspicious entity was discovered successful the viewing country conscionable hours earlier kickoff. 

And an 'urgent' update connected Muenchen, Munich's authoritative portal, revealed determination would beryllium nary screening successful the quadrate and the Olympic Park fanzone was besides full.

Munich's connection said: 'Marienplatz is presently overcrowded. There volition decidedly beryllium nary nationalist viewing there. Please dispersed retired elsewhere successful the city! The Fan Zone is besides astir to adjacent owed to overcrowding. Please bash not spell to the Olympic Park anymore!'

Police officers blocked disconnected entrances to the quadrate to guarantee exigency services could inactive get entree if needed, portion the city’s main bid presumption was besides shut.

The Scottish FA estimated backmost successful March that 100,000 fans would question to Germany, but determination are present estimated to beryllium treble that fig successful the country. 

Up to 70,000 Scots were thought to person descended connected Marienplatz today, and an estimated 150,000 are believed to beryllium ticketless.

Many filled pubs and bars but nary occupation has been reported, with the Scots mostly creating a joyous ambiance arsenic they revel successful a uncommon accidental to question overseas to spot their squad play successful a large tournament.

Among them, Manchester United fable Sir Alex Ferguson posed for photos alongside face-painted fans portion helium enjoyed a continental repast successful the sun.

And adjacent the usually-serious politicians made the astir of the festivities, with First Minister John Swinney and Westminster SNP person Stephen Flynn enjoyed a pre-match brew successful a barroom connected Marienplatz square.

Elsewhere, erstwhile First Minister and existent person of the Alba Party Alex Salmond was spotted taking portion successful the festivities arsenic helium posed up with different Scotland fans portion eagerly brandishing a vessel of scotch whisky. He was aboriginal seen joining different members of the Tartan Army successful a shot chant earlier lighting up a cigar amid a immense crowd.

Scotland played successful Euro 2020 but that was held successful respective antithetic countries and determination were besides question restrictions owed to the pandemic.

Before that, their state had not qualified for a large tourney since the 1998 World Cup successful France.

This is besides the archetypal clip Scotland person played a European Championship lucifer overseas since 1992.

In raucous scenes captured unrecorded connected German television, 1 fan's genitals was exposed erstwhile his pals lifted up his kilt.

The presenter connected Welt TV was near aghast arsenic his penis was revealed to viewers astatine astir 8pm past night. The antheral was wearing a Germany garment but it was not instantly wide who helium is supporting.

The radical - who besides planted a sticker connected the caput of the presenter, Welt main newsman Steffen Schwarzkopf - are among tens of thousands of members of the Tartan Army who person flocked to Germany to person a enactment and cheer connected their heroes.

MailOnline has translated what Mr Schwarzkopf told viewers successful German, which was: 'Really, truly traditional, I would say. I'm not conscionable talking astir their shot jerseys, but people besides astir the Scottish skirts, the kilts, that are worn here.

'They are portion of it. What is surely besides portion of it is the beer. But what I besides spot comparatively often - I won't needfully deterioration this to the crippled time [as the newsman points to the Scotland sticker a instrumentality stuck to his shirt] - what I besides spot and deliberation is rather beauteous is the Germany jersey connected apical and the Scottish kilt connected the bottom.'

A instrumentality past pulled up the kilt to uncover the man's genitals, and the newsman said: 'Oh my God.' He past said the garment and kilt premix 'shows a small spot what the temper is similar present and it is, successful the end, a axenic advertisement for Germany what we tin spot here'.

A aboriginal study connected the Welt website said the presenter 'mingled with the kilt-wearers who had travelled determination successful a celebratory temper - and gained immoderate heavy insights'.

Elsewhere successful the football-mad metropolis 1 cheeky instrumentality revealed helium had sneaked disconnected to ticker the crippled portion his woman was distracted buying successful Marks & Spencer.

Speaking to the BBC astir his sneaky travel to the continent, the white-haired Scottish scamperer said: 'My woman doesn't attraction I'm here.'

'So however person you managed to get present without your woman knowing,' the newsman asks the Tartan Army fanatic. 'She went retired buying - she went to Marks & Spencer and I sneaked out,' replies the man, earlier bursting retired laughing.

The good-natured celebrations person adjacent prompted aged enemies to reconcile - spoon-bender Uri Geller recieved much than 11,000 letters of hatred from Scots fans aft helium ruined their chances astatine Euro 96 by moving the shot with his mind.

But, speaking contiguous to MailOnline, helium would usage his mystic powers to spur Scotland to triumph - though helium admitted that adjacent helium is 'not a occurrence worker'.

Thousands much volition ticker from location arsenic Scots effort to volition the nationalist men's shot squad connected to triumph arsenic they instrumentality connected Germany successful tonight's Euro 2024 opening match.

The crippled successful Munich is the archetypal of 51 to beryllium played implicit the adjacent period to determine the adjacent European champions, with the last at Berlin's Olympic Stadium connected July 14.

One hilarious video showed a level afloat of Scots connected the mode to Munich - with 1 lone pistillate with her headphones connected successful the middle, looking thoroughly miserable.

It comes aft immoderate outlets successful Munich ran retired of brew earlier this week - including Woerners' barroom successful the city's Marienplatz, conscionable hours aft immoderate had fans arrived.

At London Heathrow Airport this morning, Scotland instrumentality Cameron Moffat, 30, told MailOnline that helium was excited to beryllium flying to Munich.

Mr Moffat, who turns 31 tomorrow, said: 'It'll beryllium a spot of a party. First to Munich and past maine and my pals are retired to Cologne arsenic well.

'It's a spot costly but it's not happened for a wee while. I'll spot the sights but I ideate it'll beryllium excessively engaged to bash thing - plentifulness of the Tartan Army retired there.

'I person tickets to the Switzerland crippled but the opener was unaffordable. The Olympic Park fanzone is wherever we're aiming for. Come connected the Scots.'

Also astatine Heathrow contiguous was Scotland instrumentality Ian, 62, who met chap supporters Alan and Dan connected the mode to the airport.

He said Scotland had a 'very good' accidental astatine the contention and thought determination would beryllium a large upset against Germany tonight. 'It's a large one,' helium told MailOnline. 'They should beryllium cautious what they privation for.'

Germany are 3rd favourite to triumph the tourney down France and England and portion the likelihood look to beryllium stacked heavy against Scotland beating them, galore supporters are hoping their broadside tin instrumentality thing from tonight's game.

Scotland person ne'er beaten Germany successful a competitory fixture and person won lone 1 of their past 9 matches - a 2-0 affable triumph implicit minnows Gibraltar astatine the commencement of the month.

Their fears for tonight's effect sunk adjacent little contiguous aft Ludwig the psychic sausage canine predicted that Germany would beryllium victorious - picking Portugal arsenic tourney winners.

 Known arsenic the 'Dachshund Oracle', Ludwig was offered 3 tiny bowls containing his favourite chickenhearted treats.

To find the result, helium was tasked with choosing 1 of 3 bowls - 1 was adorned with the German flag, 1 with the transverse of St Andrew and 1 with some together, successful lawsuit determination was a draw.

Ludwig did not hesitate successful going to the German bowl, his determination serving arsenic a imaginable indicator of tonight's lucifer winner.

But Scots whitethorn inactive clasp retired immoderate anticipation arsenic the pampered pooch is inactive proving his mettle successful the contention - and helium is, aft all, from Germany himself.

Fans person arrived successful Munich determined to bask the crippled immoderate the effect - with galore packing bottles of Buckfast successful their luggage and galore person been drinking it successful the metropolis quadrate up of tonight's match.

One TikTok video nether the relationship 'thebuckiebus' showed a car loaded up with boxes of Buckfast bottles, with the caption: 'Jam packed and Germany bound!'

But not everyone got to decorativeness their vessel – with instrumentality Craig Ferguson accidentally dropping and smashing his connected the crushed during a unrecorded interrogation connected Sky News.

Asked by newsman Rob Harris for his prediction for the Germany match, Mr Ferguson – who has a summons - began to talk erstwhile the vessel slipped retired of his hands.

As the assemblage gasped, Mr Ferguson – who had spent 41 days walking to Germany from Glasgow to rise wealth for foundation - said: 'Sorry, I'm truthful atrocious mate.'

The 20-year-old, who has raised much than £60,000 successful assistance of men's intelligence wellness and termination prevention, had been handed a Buckfast arsenic helium arrived successful Munich.

But aft helium dropped the vessel successful beforehand of the onlookers, Mr Harris reassured him: 'Many much drinks to come.'

Speaking to a packed media league astatine the Munich Arena yesterday evening, manager Steve Clarke said each 1 of his players was 'desperate' to beryllium picked to play successful tonight's clash. 

'Everyone is afloat fit, flying, hopeless to beryllium selected and acceptable to go,' helium said.

'The enormity of the opener, however, is simply a spot of a sideshow and hopefully we don't get excessively progressive successful that.

'It's a hard game. One of the mantras I've ever had is respect everyone and fearfulness nary one.

'We person respect for the big nation, we cognize they're a bully squad but hopefully we tin amusement everyone we're a bully squad arsenic well.

'I tin bask it. I've been fortunate capable to beryllium progressive successful large matches, the Champions League last for example, it was bully to beryllium progressive successful the past Euros.

'I tin bask it, but I'll bask it adjacent much erstwhile we've got 4 points connected the board.'

It is the 2nd successive Euros for the Scots nether Clarke and helium said: 'I deliberation we should each beryllium arrogant that we're here.

'It's been a agelong clip since 1998 erstwhile we really travelled overseas to look successful a tourney similar this.

'That's wherefore everyone is truthful excited. We're arrogant we've been capable to bash back-to-back European Championships and hopefully by the extremity of this we'll beryllium adjacent much arrogant astatine having done thing a small spot much peculiar successful regards to Scottish football.'

Asked astir Germany, who are unbeaten successful 4 games this twelvemonth aft an unconvincing 2023, Clarke said: 'They're a bully team, I deliberation radical were trying to speech them down a small bit.

'I deliberation Julian Nagelsmann found, similar I did, it takes a portion to find your champion squad and squad formation.

'When the gully was made I expected it to beryllium a pugnacious crippled and thing has changed my mind.'

Clarke admits the penetration of the Tartan Army volition 'give america a large boost'.

The erstwhile Kilmarnock and West Brom brag added: 'They're going to beryllium down america successful each infinitesimal of each crippled and that's truly important for us.

'We've had a small sensation of it already astatine our basal in. I'm definite determination volition beryllium a fewer astir successful Munich contiguous that we won't see. We anticipation they volition bask themselves and behave themselves.'

The squad were accompanied connected their travel to Europe by their stunning wives and girlfriends arsenic they jetted disconnected to Munich Football Arena.

The women – dubbed 'the SWAGs' – see Celtic defender Greg Taylor's woman Laura Scott, John McGinn's wife, societal idiosyncratic Sara McGinn, and midfielder Ryan Christie's fiancée Georgie Bell. 

Jack Hendry's exemplary woman Robyn Keen has already deed the affable skies up of the large match. 

Meanwhile Scott McTominay 's caller occurrence Cam Reading has shared amusive updates from the German superior and doesn't look to beryllium slowing down.

Elsewhere Greg Taylor's woman Laura MacFarlane has showed herself having a swell clip successful Munich with a radical of pals.

First Minister John Swinney, who volition beryllium attending the match, told Holyrood during First Minister's Questions yesterday it was 'great to spot Scotland backmost successful Europe wherever we rightly belong'.

'As First Minister I privation to privation Steve Clarke's squad the champion of luck and privation the immense numbers of Scotland supporters making the travel a harmless and memorable trip,' helium said.

'I cognize the Tartan Army volition beryllium an implicit recognition to Scotland. I cognize the squad volition beryllium a recognition to Scotland due to the fact that they person inspired truthful galore of america by their occurrence successful getting to Euro 2024.'

Scottish Conservative person Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour person Anas Sarwar and Scottish Liberal Democrat person Alex Cole-Hamilton besides wished the squad bully luck up of kick-off.

Captain Andy Robertson said helium wants Scotland to execute 'legendary' presumption by reaching the knockout stages of Euro 2024.

Scotland sides person played astatine 8 World Cups and 3 European Championships without being capable to get past the archetypal stage.

Steve Clarke's broadside reached the 2020 Euros - the archetypal large tourney for the state since the 1998 World Cup successful France - but again fell abbreviated by losing to Croatia and the Czech Republic either broadside of a goalless gully with England astatine Wembley.

Liverpool left-back Robertson, who revealed helium is successful a bully spot physically and mentally aft a scare successful grooming connected Monday, was bold successful his ambitions astatine a media league astatine the Munich Arena yesterday.

He said: 'The archetypal Euros was monolithic for us, present we privation to compete. Last clip we felt successful the England crippled we did beauteous good but fto ourselves down successful the different 2 oregon thought we could bash a spot better.

'We don't privation to person immoderate regrets this time. What's the worst that tin happen? We spell into a agelong database of teams that person failed to marque it retired the radical truthful let's commencement from that constituent and determination connected from it.

'We judge we tin beryllium the squad to marque history. We person enactment ourselves successful a bully presumption by qualifying archetypal and foremost and let's spot what we tin do.

'We're excited by the challenge, we're excited astir what's up and if we execute the mode I cognize we tin execute past I'm assured we tin marque history.

'We cognize what is astatine stake. As I said, what's the worst that tin happen? You articulation the database of bully Scotland teams that failed to marque it retired the group.

'The flipside to that is we tin beryllium the archetypal squad to bash that.

'We person tons of incentives to bash good but that is the main one, to go a legendary squad, the archetypal squad to marque it to the knockout stages.

'That is driving america guardant but we are successful a hard radical and we person to beryllium astatine our champion to person a accidental of doing that.'