Captain Andy Robertson after Scotland qualified for the World Cup (Picture: BBC)
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 still 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.
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Scotland beat Denmark to reach the World Cup (Picture: Getty)
Joyous scenes greeted the full-time whistle as Scotland qualified for a World Cup for the first time in almost 30 years.
Scotland captain Robertson said he had been ‘in bits’ before the game recalling conversations he had with former Liverpool teammate Jota about the World Cup.
Portugal forward Jota tragically died in a car crash back in July at the age of 28.
A key player for his country with 49 international caps, Jota would almost certainly have been selected as part of the Portugal squad going to the World Cup.
‘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.’
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