Kai Havertz has warned Germany’s rivals that the team are just getting started after the hosts opened Euro 2024 with a 5-1 thrashing of Scotland.
Havertz scored a penalty in first-half stoppage time and was one of several Germany players to shine as Scotland were humbled in Munich. The Arsenal forward believes Germany will – and must – improve as they progress through the tournament.
“I hope there is more to come,” Havertz said. “Obviously when you win 5-1 it is a statement but it is just the start and you can see how much quality there is in the team, how many good players that we have.
“Although Scotland were a very good team with a great coach, the opponents are going to get tougher. It was actually a tough match. But as you go further and further into a tournament, the matches get harder and harder. We keep on going, train good, sleep good. And play with confidence.”
Havertz’s veteran teammate Thomas Müller also believes Germany must keep eyes on one challenge at a time. Müller referenced the 2-2 draw against Ghana in the World Cup of 2014 as evidence that Germany can be halted when seemingly full of momentum. “We remember that, so don’t be too happy, don’t celebrate too much, we must stay focused,” Müller said. “It is not good enough just to have good feelings. There is no sense behind good feelings if you go and lose the quarter-final. We just need to win.”
As Germany purred, Scotland have been left licking wounds. John McGinn, one of several senior players who failed to perform, was candid about his team’s shortcomings. Scotland face what looks like a make-or-break meeting with Switzerland in Cologne on Wednesday.
“We need to find our levels again over the next couple of days,” McGinn said. “We can talk about everything but there’s a lot of us in there who need to up it and we know that. Wednesday is another opportunity.
“The goals we conceded weren’t great at all. Obviously when Ryan [Porteous] gets sent off it makes it a lot tougher. We have time now, an extra day to analyse it, know where we went wrong and improve. I think Wednesday is going to be a totally different game but they are a top team as well and we need to raise our level massively.”
McGinn refused to single out a Scotland defence that has conceded 26 goals in 10 outings. “It’s easy to say that but myself and others are on a massive goal drought,” the Aston Villa player said. “So that works both ways. Collectively, you can’t point fingers at one or two players. As a group we need to improve. We need to concede less goals and create more chances. I don’t think we had a shot against Germany, which is the worrying thing.
“For a long time we weren’t on the end of these scorelines so we need to get back to what we were doing, better and properly, and we are aware of that. It’s up to us now, the older ones in the group, to keep us going and get ready for Wednesday.”
