Robertson: Scotland's World Cup Dream and Brazil Clash

Andy Robertson, Scotland's captain, has described playing against Brazil at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as a dream come true. The left-back, who will join Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer on 1 July, will lead his country at the tournament in North America, marking Scotland's first World Cup appearance in 28 years.

From Rejection to Captaincy

Robertson's path to the world stage is often described as a fairy tale. Born in Glasgow, he began his career at Queen's Park while studying part-time, then moved to Dundee United and Hull City before joining Liverpool. At Anfield, he won domestic and European silverware, but representing Scotland at a World Cup remained elusive until now.

At age 15, Robertson was released by Celtic, his boyhood club, because he was deemed too small. He recalled: "That was a massive moment for me in terms of obviously feeling that rejection for the first time and the sadness and everything else that comes along with it. But then also navigating my way through that and fighting back from it. That's what stood me in such good stead for my career ahead, because you have setbacks along the way, you always do, and it's all about how you deal with these setbacks."

World Cup Ambitions

Scotland secured their place in the 2026 World Cup with a dramatic 4-2 victory over Denmark at Hampden Park in November. They are drawn in Group C alongside Haiti, Morocco, and five-time champions Brazil. The Scots will open their campaign against Haiti on 13 June, then face Morocco, before concluding the group stage against Brazil in Miami.

Robertson emphasized that past results, including Scotland's narrow 2-1 defeat to Brazil in the opening match of the 1998 World Cup, will not affect their approach. "I think we're always the ones that want to create our own history," he said. "We love the history of the Scottish national team. We love the people of the past. We have so much respect for them, but I think it's up to us to create our own story. I don't think the past results against Brazil or past games will have any bearing on this game."

Facing Brazil: A Dream Matchup

Robertson acknowledged the challenge of facing Brazil, now managed by Carlo Ancelotti. "Playing against Brazil is a dream for all players and it's not always possible when you're from a different continent, but the World Cup allows you to do that. We're always there to compete, and hopefully we can give them a difficult game."

Creating Their Own History

Scotland have never advanced beyond the group stage of a World Cup, having failed to do so in eight previous appearances. Robertson expressed confidence that this squad can break that streak. "In moments like this, I think it's important to remember where you came from, the journey you've been on and how hard you've worked to get these moments," he told FIFA. "I love my journey. I love the journey I've been on. A lot of hard work, a lot of sacrifice. But for the rewards that I've got out of it, it's been worth every minute."

Robertson, who captained Scotland at UEFA EURO 2024, believes the World Cup represents the culmination of a career defined by determination. "Never did I think about captaining the country. As a little boy, the dream was obviously always to play for your country."