EUR THE BEST

New ties made as Germany says auf wiedersehen to Tartan Army

- PAUL DRURY and RYAN CARROLL

THERE’S only one country more disappointed than us that the Tartan Army has left the Euros – and that’s Germany.

Yesterday tens of thousands of dejected Scotland fans left Stuttgart and the host nation for home after an unforgettable fortnight.

A 100th minute goal by Hungary’s Kevin Csoboth on Sunday night meant the Scottish-German love-in at Euros 2024 was ended in dramatic fashion.

But our brilliant supporters left their mark on the tournament and on Germany.

Rab Govans, 65, from Hurlford in Ayrshire, said: “I’ve had people coming up to me, asking, ‘What are we going to do without you?

“They are some of the loveliest people I have ever met. The Germans have been absolutely brilliant towards us. I’m topping up my tan this morning. I’m off to Cyprus on holiday in a fortnight but I know it will never touch this.”

The Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper carried several pages of partying Scots.

The editorial said: “Are we in Glasgow or Edinburgh? No, it’s still Stuttgart. One hundred thousand football fans from Scotland, Hungary and Germany take over the city centre for a joyful fan party.

“But it’s a happy ending only for the Hungarians and Germans.” TV channel Welt Euro ran a ticker message at the bottom of the screen, saying: “Cheerio Scotland. You gave us great joy.”

Civil servant Julia Dangauer was on her lunch break in Stuttgart’s Konigstrasse when she revealed how the Scots visitors had “brightened up the summer”.