Scotland Euro 2024 squad: Who Steve Clarke has selected to take to Germany

Angus Gunn has been Scotland's No.1 since the start of Euros qualifying after unseating Craig Gordon as Clarke's first choice after the unsuccessful World Cup qualifying campaign. Zander Clark is second-choice, having usurped Gordon as Hearts' main goalkeeper.

Aaron Hickey's long injury lay-off means the right-back spot is up for grabs, and Nathan Patterson was seemingly leading Anthony Ralston in the race to start the tournament curtain-raiser against Germany. However, the Everton man has now been ruled out with a fitness issue too.

Captain Andy Robertson has the left-back position locked down, meaning Kieran Tierney has learned to deputise at centre-back to get a look in, although he is also an option at right-back.

Jack Hendry and Scott McKenna are the main choices at centre-back along with Tierney, with Ryan Porteous ready to step in if there are any injuries.

Midfield is the area Scotland have the most top-level experience in. John McGinn has been one of Aston Villa's most important players in their push for Champions League football and has long been a key figure for his country.

Scott McTominay, meanwhile, has reinvented himself as an attacking midfielder for Scotland, so much so that Erik ten Hag eventually decided to copy Clarke and give him the same role with Manchester United, leading to him becoming the Red Devils' joint-top scorer in the Premier League.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor missed the March friendlies with an injury but is likely to start the first game. Billy Gilmour, meanwhile, has grown in importance for club and country within the last six months and can sprinkle a bit of magic on Scotland's midfield.

The main talking point around Clarke's attack is Lawrence Shankland, who was the leading scorer in the Scottish Premiership with 24 goals for Hearts, six more than his closest challenger. Shankland has been on the fringes of the national team as he is mainly operated around the penalty area, and Scotland's style necessitates more work off-the-ball. However, his record has been impossible to ignore and he has played his way into Clarke's plans.

However, injuries to first-choice No.9 Lyndon Dykes and Liverpool teenager Ben Doak have necessitated late call-ups for Tommy Conway and Lewis Morgan.

Clarke has favoured using wing-backs and his formation tends to be a 5-4-1 out of possession, which turns into a 3-4-2-1 when his side have the ball.

With Dykes ruled out, Che Adams is likely to be the first-choice striker, while McGinn and Christie will join him in attack as the most advanced midfielders, with McTominay given a freer role and tasked with getting into the box and hopefully continuing his remarkable scoring rate from qualifying.

Scotland XI (3-4-2-1): Gunn; Porteous, Hendry, Tierney; Ralston, McGregor, Gilmour, Robertson; McGinn, McTominay, Shankland.

Forward Jacob Brown will miss the tournament after suffering a serious knee injury in February during training for Luton Town. Lewis Ferguson has also been ruled out after tearing his cruciate knee ligament while in Serie A action for Bologna in April.

First-choice full-back Hickey has been out since October with a hamstring injury and has since suffered a setback in his recovery, meaning he will unfortunately miss the tournament. Fellow right-back Nathan Patterson has also been ruled out due to an injury suffered late in the season at Everton.

In a further blow, starting striker Dykes had to withdraw from the squad after suffering a serious injury in training on May 31, as the QPR forward had to be stretchered away from the session.

Clarke's final cut-downs, meanwhile, saw veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon fall short of the final squad.