Andy Robertson said he ‘couldn’t get Diogo Jota out of his head’ in the hours leading up to Scotland’s historic World Cup qualifying win over Denmark.
Scotland booked their place at a first men’s World Cup since 1998 after beating Denmark 4-2 at Hampden Park.
Scott McTominay scored a stunning bicycle kick after just three minutes in what was hailed, given what was at stake, as one of the best goals in Scottish football history.
Rasmus Hojlund scored an equaliser after Denmark were awarded a penalty but the visitors were then reduced to ten men as Rasmus Kristensen was shown a second yellow card.
Lawrence Shankland’s 78th-minute goal put Scotland back on track for the World Cup but Denmark again responded, Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu levelling the match with ten minutes remaining.
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Scotland were running out of time to save their World Cup dream when Celtic star and former Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney bent a curled effort past Kasper Schmeichel.
There were understandable fears Denmark would equalise for the third time and deny Scotland automatic qualification for next summer’s World Cup but Kenny McLean put the game to bed with a brilliant strike from the halfway line, lobbing the backtracking Schmeichel to spark joyous scenes at Hampden Park and across the country.
The stadium erupted when the full-time whistle was finally blow and Scotland qualified for a men’s World Cup for the first time in almost 30 years.
Scotland captain Robertson said he had been ‘in bits’ before the game thinking about conversations he had about the World Cup with former Liverpool teammate Jota.
Jota, a key player for fellow World Cup contenders Portugal, died in a car crash back in July at the age of 28.
‘I’ve hid it well but I’ve been in bits today,’ Robertson said in an emotional interview with BBC Sport after Scotland’s win over Denmark. ‘I knew this was my last chance to go to a World Cup.
‘I couldn’t get my mate Diogo out my head today. We spoke so much together about the World Cup. He missed out on Qatar [the 2022 World Cup] through injury, I missed out because we didn’t qualify.
‘We always discussed what it would be like to go to this World Cup. I know he will be somewhere smiling down on me tonight.
‘I couldn’t get him out my head all day, I was in a bit of trouble in my room earlier. I hid it well from the boys, I’m just so glad we’re going to the World Cup.’
Robertson was one of a number of Liverpool players to attend the funeral for Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who also died in the car accident.
Discussing Scotland’s dramatic win over Denmark, the 31-year-old added: ‘That just sums up this squad. Never say die. We just keep going right to the end and one of the craziest games.
‘We put the country through it, but I’m sure it’s worth it. We’re going to the World Cup!
‘This group of boys, this group of staff – it’s the best group I’ve been involved in.
‘The manager’s speech before the game was unbelievable. He went through the big moments we’ve had. We were quite emotional.
‘To do it for him, the staff and all our families, it’ll go down as one of the greatest nights of my life.’
Scotland boss Steve Clarke, meanwhile, described a famous night at Hampden Park as ‘unbelievable’ after he took his nation to a third major tournament.
‘Wat a fantastic group of players,’ a beaming Clarke said. ‘Unbelievable.
‘I’ve told them so many times that I trust them implicitly. I woke up this morning, and as a manager you normally wake up with that tight feeling in your stomach.
‘I didn’t have it this morning, and I thought “wow, that’s strange”. I thought there was something wrong with me! But it’s because I trust my players so much.
‘We’ve been on a journey. I spoke to them about it pre-match, about how this is the opportunity we’ve waited for. What a night, eh?
‘There’s always one last step, and it’s always the hardest. It wasn’t easy and we didn’t make it straightforward for ourselves. But that’s the Scotland way.’
The draw for the 2026 World Cup, hosted in north America, takes place on Friday 5 December.
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