Ryan Christie reflects on Scotland's Euro 2024 exit and looks ahead to World Cup

Ryan Christie was the last Scotland player to touch the ball at Euro 2024.

The midfielder brought it down and was dispossessed, but referee Facundo Tello blew his whistle before Christie had the chance to take the throw-in against Hungary.

It was familiar agony for Scotland, their exit confirmed by a 1-0 defeat to a 100th-minute goal.

Deflation and disappointment were etched on the players' faces, while the Tartan Army were devastated in the Stuttgart stands.

It is hurt the squad are still carrying two years on as they enter their first World Cup in 28 years.

"A few of us left that thinking 'what could have been'," Christie said on The Wayne Rooney Show.

"So I think this time we've got a bit of a chip on our shoulder that we are going to do something at this tournament.

"We are absolutely desperate to be the first team to get out of the group stage, take that extra step and create a bit more history."

Three days from Scotland's opening game against Haiti - live on the BBC - and the brazen optimism is in full flow.

Two years ago Scotland faced hosts Germany in the tournament opener, a 5-1 defeat that Christie vividly recalls as a "humbling" experience.

It's one he points to when discussing the Scots' Group C schedule, which is rounded off with an "iconic" game against Brazil.

"Everybody's at the World Cup on merit, so there are no easy games," the Bournemouth midfielder said. "I don't think we're expecting that.

"But it gives us the chance to get off to a good start. You probably look at the group and that's the easiest on paper.

"You'd rather face them than Brazil first. I know that from facing Germany at the opening of the last Euros. That was a humbling experience.

"I'm still having nightmares about that. But hopefully we can learn from that experience and start this one a bit better."

Christie isn't the only one to have such hopes. A nation is waiting patiently.

It's down to the standards set by Christie, his team-mates and head coach Steve Clarke - who "completely changed the set-up" of the national team.

"When I first joined international football, I know I was a bit younger and probably a bit quieter, but I was counting down the days until I could go back home," the 31-year-old explained.

"It's the polar opposite now. If we're meeting up on a Monday, everyone flies up on the Saturday night to spend an extra day with each other - it's brilliant."

Key to that is the trust Clarke has in his players. Most know he's as loyal as they come on the pitch, but off it is as important for Christie.

"He puts a big amount of trust in us in terms of if we have a day off and play golf or something, there's full trust that we're not going to take advantage," he added.

"Boys that are going to the World Cup now have been on a journey of five, six, seven years with the manager.

"I think after the Denmark game was one of the rare times I've seen him properly smiling and enjoy himself a little bit, which was cool to see. For us as players, we knew how much it would mean to him to tick that off his list.

"For me, he's got to go down as one of the great, great Scottish managers of all time."