Steven Gerrard sees Ryan Porteous Rangers prophecy resurface as 'he's not learning' rant still applies 3 years on

-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


A three-year-old rant from Steven Gerrard about Ryan Porteous has resurfaced on social media - showing the former Hibs star's moment of madness in Munich was years in the making.

It was a bad night all round for Scotland against Germany in their big Euro 2024 opener - but that misery was compounded even further when Porteous was shown a straight red card with his team already 2-0 down. The Watford defender had initially got away with his poor challenge on German skipper Ilkay Gundogan, until VAR retrospectively stepped in to send him off and award the hosts a penalty which Kai Havertz duly converted.

That third goal ended any hopes the Scots had of getting back into the game, and the 5-1 defeat leaves boss Steve Clarke with the tough task of lifting his side's spirits to go again against Hungary on Wednesday. The Leith-born centre back's discipline on the field has improved since he swapped Hibernian for Watford in January last year, and in turn has helped him establish himself in the English Championship and as a valued member in the Dark Blues national team squad.

But the reckless nature of his tackle on former Manchester City star Gundogan - described as a "leg breaker" by Kris Boyd - has seen some supporters on social media hark back to the five red cards he received in his time at Easter Road, with one clip in particular surfacing on social media in the aftermath of the mauling at Germany's hands.

With the Hibees a goal up against Rangers at Ibrox in October 2021, the then 22-year-old was given his marching orders for a challenge on Joe Aribo with just 30 minutes on the clock. The hosts then used that numerical advantage to their benefit to fight back and claim a 2-1 win, but after the game Light Blues boss Steven Gerrard was left fuming with Porteous lunge and went as far as questioning whether the player would ever cut out that part of his game going forward.

Porteous saw red in a disastrous night for the Scots in Munich -Credit:Getty Images
Porteous saw red in a disastrous night for the Scots in Munich -Credit:Getty Images

The Liverpool legend said: "It's a wild tackle. The kid only has to play the ball.

"I don't know why there is any reason that he wants to go in with that intent. It's the second time that he has done it against us because he did it against Lassana Coulibaly not so long ago.

"So the kid is obviously not learning and he has let his manager and his team-mates down today. I know one or two things about bad tackles because I have made a few myself, so I am not in a glass house here."