Captain Andy Robertson spoke to BBC Scotland after he saw his team at their first World Cup since 1998 Norway.
Andy Robertson has paid an emotional tribute to his former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota after Scotland qualified automatically for the 2026 World Cup.
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Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 in a dramatic match at Hampden Park.
Steve Clarke’s side took the lead twice through Scott McTominay and Lawrence Shankland, but Rasmus Hojlund and Patrick Dorgu equalised for Denmark.
The Danish team was reduced to 10 players in the second half at 2-1, after Rasmus Kristensen was shown his second yellow card.
But it was Kieran Tierney who scored in injury time in the second half with a 20-yard shot that secured Scotland an automatic place in next year’s World Cup.
Kenny McLean, who came on as a first-half substitute, then forced the ball into the net from midfield when Denmark’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had made his way up the pitch due to a Danish set-piece situation.
After the game, Scottish captain Robertson was interviewed by BBC Scotland – and he paid tribute to ex-Liverpool star Jota, who died in a car accident in Spain in July.
“I think I’ve hidden it well, but today I’ve been completely devastated,” he said. “I know that with my age and everything, this could be my last chance at a World Cup.”
“I couldn’t get my friend Diogo Jota out of my head today. We talked so much about the World Cup, when we missed Qatar because of [Jota’s] injury. I missed it because Scotland never wins.”
“We always discussed what it would be like to go to this World Cup, I know he’s somewhere smiling over me tonight.”
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Andy Robertson talks about Diogo Jota after the game 🏴🤝🇵🇹
I can’t remember being so emotional after a game!
“I just couldn’t get him out of my head all day. I think I was in a bit of trouble in my room earlier!”
“Like I said, I think I hid it well from the guys, and I’m so glad it ended the way it did.”
Jota was supposed to play in the 2022 World Cup with Portugal, but suffered a calf injury in October of that year that meant he had to sit out the entire tournament.
The Liverpool striker and his brother, Andre Silva, died in a car accident in Zamora, Spain, on July 3 while they were on their way back to England for pre-season training.
According to the Spanish police, their car, a Lamborghini, suffered from a tire that burst, causing it to drive off the road and then catch fire.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot confirmed in September that the club had paid the last two years of Jota’s contract, which was due to expire in the summer of 2027, to his family.
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