Lewis Morgan, the 27-year-old winger for New York Red Bulls, confidently asserts that Scotland can “absolutely” surprise Germany in the Euro 2024 opener on Friday. Despite joining Steve Clarke’s squad as a late addition, Morgan’s determination and resilience have brought him back to the international stage after a six-year hiatus.
Morgan made his international return as a substitute in Scotland’s 2-2 draw with Finland, a significant milestone in his career comeback. “Absolutely, stranger things have happened in football,” Morgan emphasized. “We’ve got a really, really talented squad here, a good group of players playing at the highest level in world football.”
His optimism isn’t unfounded. The Scottish squad boasts several top-tier players capable of challenging any opponent. Morgan insists that success against Germany hinges on the team’s ability to deliver their best performance and adhere to the game plan meticulously.
“There’s no reason why we can’t go there and get something, but we can only do that if we give the best version of ourselves and stick to the game plan,” he stated, as per BBC.
Morgan’s journey back to the national team has been nothing short of remarkable. Last September, he underwent major hip surgery, a daunting procedure that left him facing the fear of never returning to professional football.
“I started to pick up quite a lot of hip muscle strains, so I’d get injured and then I would come back. We really knew surgery was in the background, but I wanted to really give everything I could to avoid it,” Morgan recounted.
Repeated injuries led to a severe psoas tear, an injury Morgan describes as “unheard of.” The surgery involved almost a complete reshaping of his hip. “As soon as the surgery was over, all the pain that I’d had was almost gone, and then it was just about recovering and getting back,” he explained. The odds of returning to play were daunting, with only an 80-85% chance of playing again and a mere 20-25% chance of returning to performance level.
Morgan’s fear of not recovering drove him through the grueling rehab process. “Maybe that fear sort of drove me on in the rehab process to make sure that I didn’t skip any corners and I gave myself the best chance,” he reflected.
Now back in action and performing well, Morgan finds it surreal. “It’s quite surreal to think, ‘oh now I’m back playing and I’m performing at a good level,'” he added.
Scotland faces a formidable challenge in Germany, but with players like Morgan who embody resilience and determination, they might just pull off a surprise. The Euro 2024 opener promises to be a thrilling encounter, and Morgan’s belief in his team’s potential adds an exciting dimension to the upcoming clash.
