Gary Neville slams Arsenal player over Euro 2024 error | Football
Gary Neville has criticised Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney for ‘getting carried away’ during Scotland’s harrowing Euro 2024 defeat to Germany.
Scotland almost suffered the heaviest Euros defeat of all time as they were thrashed 5-1 by tournament hosts Germany on Friday night.
Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musial, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can all got on the scoresheet as Germany ripped through the Scots to clinch their biggest ever Euros win.
Scotland’s cause was not helped by Ryan Porteous’ first-half red card, with the Watford defender dismissed and conceding a penalty for clattering into Ilkay Gundogan.
Ex-England and Manchester United defender Neville felt the occasion got to Scotland and accused Tierney of ‘getting carried away’ in the first few minutes by celebrating with Liverpool’s Andy Robertson after winning a goal-kick.
‘They were getting caught up in the first five minutes,’ Neville said on ITV.
‘What I thought was a significant moment in the first couple of minutes in the game was when one of their experienced players, Kieran Tierney, playing for Arsenal Football Club, he celebrated winning a goal kick like it was almost the last minute of the game.
‘I just thought, “oh no”. This is a marathon, this match. You have such a long way to go, and this isn’t a moment to try and get carried away.
‘I don’t think that would have helped the more sort of junior players in that squad to settle down.’
Despite a humbling night at the Allianz Arena, Scotland can still qualify for the knockout stages of the Euros ahead of their final two group games against Switzerland and Hungary.
‘So if I go back and it’s the same as before then I’m not silly, I know the chances are I’ll be leaving.
‘But you never know in football. You get the rare case with [William] Saliba, where he came back after a couple of good seasons [out on loan] but you don’t see it too often with someone who has played for four years, left, and then come back to play again.
‘Stranger things have happened. I could go back and there is a place for me. So I’m prepared for both.’