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Robertson’s Relentless Pursuit of International Success
Andy Robertson has no thoughts of stepping away from international football. In fact, the Scotland captain has his sights set firmly on one of the nation’s most revered records—Sir Kenny Dalglish’s all-time caps tally.
The Liverpool left-back, now 31, is on the brink of history. Should he feature in Scotland’s Nations League play-off against Greece on Thursday—live on BBC Scotland—he will move into third place in the country’s all-time men’s appearances list with his 81st cap.
That milestone would see him surpass Darren Fletcher, leaving only Jim Leighton (91 caps) and Dalglish (102 caps) ahead of him in the record books.
Playful Rivalry with Dalglish
Robertson has made no secret of his ambition to climb further up the list, even sharing a light-hearted exchange with the legendary Dalglish himself.
“I actually said to Kenny the other week, ‘I’m coming for you’,” Robertson revealed to BBC Scotland. “His reply was that plenty of players have said that before, and he’s still the main man.”
The Scotland captain’s journey has been a remarkable one. Handed his debut by Gordon Strachan in 2014 while still at Dundee United, Robertson’s leadership qualities saw him named captain by Alex McLeish four years later. Since then, his commitment to the national cause has never wavered.
“I love playing for Scotland, showing up for every camp, and I want to get as many caps as I can,” he said. “Wherever that takes me, it takes me. I’m incredibly proud to get to 80.”
Scotland’s Progress in the Nations League
Robertson’s influence extends beyond personal accolades. Under his captaincy, Scotland have made significant strides in the Nations League, showing resilience in the face of adversity.
His fourth international goal, a stoppage-time winner against Poland in November, secured a 2-1 victory and a third-place finish in Group A1. Now, the focus is on overcoming Greece to remain among Europe’s elite in the competition.
“The Nations League has been important for us, and the aim was always to get to Group A,” Robertson explained. “We then saw the rewards when we held our own against Portugal and Croatia.”
There had been doubts over the squad’s trajectory following a disappointing European Championship campaign, but Robertson believes Scotland have responded in the right manner.
“There was a lot of negativity after the Euros, and rightly so. We believed we could get out of the group, but we didn’t perform to the levels we know we can,” he admitted. “There was a lot of talk around ‘is this the end for this squad?’ But I think we have bounced back really well.”
Challenges Ahead in World Cup Qualification
Scotland’s immediate focus is on Greece, but a broader challenge looms on the horizon—the road to the 2026 World Cup. With Greece, Belarus, and either Portugal or Denmark standing in their way, Robertson knows the difficulty of the task at hand.
“They’re a really good team at home and don’t concede many goals,” he said of Greece. “It will be difficult, but we believe we can give anyone a game.”
Scotland last featured at a World Cup in 1998, when Robertson was just four years old. Now, as the national team’s leader, he dreams of ending that 28-year absence.
“You look at the group and think, ‘Can we compete?’ Yes, that’s a definite, but it’s going to be tough,” he admitted. “Hopefully, we have everyone fit, and we can give it a right good shot. Playing at a World Cup would be the ultimate.”
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