Andy Robertson said he ‘couldn’t get Diogo Jota out of his head’ within the hours leading as much as Scotland’s historic World Cup qualifying win over Denmark.
Scotland booked their place at a primary men’s World Cup since 1998 after beating Denmark 4-2 at Hampden Park.
Scott McTominay scored a surprising bicycle kick after just three minutes in what was hailed, given what was at stake, as among the best goals in Scottish football history.
Rasmus Hojlund scored an equaliser after Denmark were awarded a penalty however the visitors were then reduced to 10 men as Rasmus Kristensen was shown a second yellow card.
Lawrence Shankland’s 78th-minute goal put Scotland back on the right 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 lots of their World Cup dream when Celtic star and former Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney bent a curled effort past Kasper Schmeichel.
There have been comprehensible fears Denmark would equalise for the third time and deny Scotland automatic qualification for next summer’s World Cup but Kenny McLean put the sport to bed with an excellent 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 primary time in almost 30 years.
Scotland captain Robertson said he had been ‘in bits’ before the sport serious about conversations he had concerning the World Cup with former Liverpool teammate Jota.
Jota, a key player for fellow World Cup contenders Portugal, died in a automotive crash back in July on 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 likelihood to go to a World Cup.
‘I couldn’t get my mate Diogo out my head today. We spoke a lot 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 all the time discussed what it could be prefer to go to this World Cup. I know he will likely be somewhere smiling down on me tonight.
‘I couldn’t get him out my head all day, I used to be in a little 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 certainly one of a variety of Liverpool players to attend the funeral for Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who also died within the automotive 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 top and certainly one of the craziest games.
‘We put the country through it, but I’m sure it’s price it. We’re going to the World Cup!
‘This group of boys, this group of staff – it’s the very best group I’ve been involved in.
‘The manager’s speech before the sport was unbelievable. He went through the large moments we’ve had. We were quite emotional.
‘To do it for him, the staff and all our families, it’ll go down as certainly one of the best 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 3rd major tournament.
‘Wat a implausible group of players,’ a beaming Clarke said. ‘Unbelievable.
‘I’ve told them so repeatedly that I trust them implicitly. I woke up this morning, and as a manager you normally get up with that tight feeling in your stomach.
‘I didn’t have it this morning, and I assumed “wow, that’s strange”. I assumed there was something unsuitable with me! Nevertheless it’s because I trust my players a lot.
‘We’ve been on a journey. I spoke to them about it pre-match, about how that is the chance we’ve waited for. What an evening, eh?
‘There’s all the time one last step, and it’s all the time the toughest. 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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