Andy Robertson admitted he was “in bits” ahead of Scotland’s decisive 4-2 win over Denmark—a result that secured the nation’s place at the 2026 World Cup—revealing that his thoughts were fixed on former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota and the ambition the two once shared.
Scotland’s victory, delivered by goals from Scott McTominay, Lawrence Shankland, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean, confirmed their first World Cup qualification since 1998. The achievement marked a major milestone for Robertson, who acknowledged that the emotional weight of the occasion was intensified by memories of Jota, who died in a car accident in July at the age of 28.
Jota missed Portugal’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar due to a calf injury, and Robertson said the pair had regularly spoken about fulfilling their dream of playing on football’s biggest stage.
“I’ve hidden it well, but today I’ve been in bits,” Robertson told the BBC. “At my age, this could be my last chance to play at a World Cup. I couldn’t get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today.”
“We talked so often about going to the World Cup—he missed the last one with Portugal, and I missed it with Scotland. I know he’ll be smiling over me today. I’m just so glad it’s ended this way.”
Robertson also praised the unity and resilience of the Scotland squad and staff, crediting manager Steve Clarke’s pre-match address for galvanising the team.
“This group of players, this staff—it’s the best I’ve ever been part of,” he added. “The manager’s speech before the game was unbelievable. We were all emotional. To achieve this for him, for the staff, and for our families, it will go down as one of the greatest nights of my life.”
Portugal, Jota’s national team, secured their own qualification on Sunday with a commanding 9-1 victory over Armenia.
