Croatia advanced to the Round of 16 after defeating Scotland 3-1 in their Group D matchup at Hampden Park. It was a disappointing end for Scotland, whose hopes of reaching the knockout phase of a major championship for the first time were crushed. Having not appeared in a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup, Scotland entered the game knowing a win was their only path forward, but they ultimately fell short.
Croatia defeated Scotland 3-1, in their Group D encounter at Hampden Park Stadium and qualified for the Round of 16. Scotland’s dream of going into the knock-out stage of a major tournament for the first time ended with a dried-out defeat. Euro 2020 was Scot’s first big tournament since the 1998 World Cup. Scotland desperately needed a victory to reach the last 16 but all their efforts fell short.
The game started with Scotland looking like the more aggressive side. They managed to win two corners in quick succession, but neither led to a goal—one was headed off target by Perisic, while the other was successfully cleared by the Croatian keeper, Livakovic.
Croatia took the lead in the 17th minute through Vlasic. Following a long diagonal pass from the defensive line, Perisic headed the ball into the path of Vlasic, who brought it down with his chest and finished clinically. On the Scottish side, an injury to Grant Hanley's calf forced an early substitution, bringing on Scott Mckenna.
Callum McGregor brought Scotland level with a historic strike, marking his first goal for the national team. The opportunity arose when the Croatian defense botched a clearance of Andy Robertson's cross, allowing McGregor to pick up the ball on the edge of the box and blast it into the bottom right corner, beating a crowd of defenders. The Hampden Park crowd went wild, celebrating Scotland's first goal of the tournament and their first in a major competition in over 23 years.
After a tense first half, the game resumed with Croatia in possession. In the 50th minute, Gvardiol found himself one-on-one with David Marshall, but the Scottish keeper managed to rush out and make a crucial save. Scotland had another promising opportunity, but McGinn failed to convert, opting to shoot with his weaker foot instead of his preferred right.
The game's defining moment arrived in the 62nd minute when Luka Modric produced a moment of pure magic. After a ball was played in from a corner, Modric unleashed a stunning curling shot from outside the penalty area that flew into the top left corner. With this goal, Modric set a new record as the oldest Croatian player to score at a European Championship, at 35 years and 286 days.
The final blow for Scotland came via Ivan Perisic, who outmuscled Tierney to score a powerful header. This goal officially confirmed Croatia's place in the last 16. Interestingly, this victory marked the first time Croatia has ever beaten Scotland in their six historical meetings.