John McGinn has already gone viral in Germany thanks to his attempt at Bavarian folk dancing and the Scotland midfielder is hoping to spoil the hosts’ party in Euro 2024’s opening game on Friday.
The 29-year-old’s larger than life personality is matched by his importance on the field to Steve Clarke’s men as one of the driving forces which has brought his nation back into the international limelight.
This is just Scotland’s second major tournament since 1998, with McGinn also crucial in the run to reaching Euro 2020.
However, after bowing out on home soil without a win three years ago, Scotland are determined to do more.
Clashes against Switzerland and Hungary after taking on the Germans would appear to offer an easier path to the four points Clarke is targeting to qualify for the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.
But the estimated 150,000 travelling Scots making their way to Munich for the opening game are dreaming of shocking the three-time European champions in their own back yard.
If Scotland are to achieve arguably their greatest ever result in the Allianz Arena, McGinn is likely to be heavily involved.
All of his 18 international goals have come since Clarke took charge in 2019, making him by a distance the top scorer in the squad.
– ‘Just not on the bench’ –
His goalscoring form at international level also helped turnaround his club career at Aston Villa.
McGinn admitted he thought his time at the Premier League club may have come to an end as he found himself out of the team towards to the end of Steven Gerrard’s tenure.
But he has been central to Unai Emery’s transformation of Villa over the past two seasons and will play Champions League football for the first time next season.
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