Robertson to draw level with Dalglish as Scotland host North Macedonia at Hampden

Andy Robertson will win his 102nd Scotland cap against North Macedonia at Hampden on Friday, and he says it gives him "goosebumps" any time he thinks about it. He spoke about the occasion and his long-running admiration for Kenny Dalglish in advance of the match.

Robertson recalled his first Scotland appearance as a 19-year-old, coming off the bench in Warsaw on 5 March, 2014, and said he felt "Nervous, excited, living the dream, not knowing what road I was on." He recounted Gordon Strachan telling him to "remember why you're here, play like you play at Dundee United, don't play safe", and that on his first touch he "just drove forward about 30, 40 yards." He said his family were at that debut: "My mum and dad were there. My brother. My aunt and uncle. My other uncle," and mentioned a picture of him and his brother Stephen at the airport after the game where "He had a big Poland hat on and a half-and-half scarf. He was well oiled by that point."

Reflecting on his club career and international leadership, Robertson listed major honours he has won and the milestones ahead: "two Premier Leagues, two League Cups, an FA Cup, a Champions League, a Super Cup, a Club World Cup, soon-to-be the most capped male Scottish players in history and, by a mile, the one with the most games as captain of the men's team." He admitted: "I've never actually been confident," and added, "I've always doubted myself and that's always got the best out of me. I've always tried to prove people wrong and prove myself wrong. The one thing I didn't do was look too far ahead. I always just lived in the here and now and that's served me well."

On the significance of the Dalglish record, Robertson placed his idol ahead of himself, saying: "There are normal seats but there's one throne and Kenny Dalglish should be sat on it." He continued, "Friday night's not about me. Friday night's about the greatest player of all time in our country, and for me, that will always be Kenny." Robertson added: "He's had this record for so long. He deserves it. If he played in a different era, he would probably have played a number of games that wouldn't have been able to be caught."

He described a Liverpool-era anecdote about meeting Dalglish: his agent met Liverpool officials and "all of a sudden Kenny 'accidentally' walked into the room. It was 100% planned, I know it was planned." Recalling a post-match visit after Liverpool beat Barcelona 4-0 in May 2019 to qualify for his second Champions League final, Robertson said he asked, "Kenny, would you mind coming in to see my grandad and my uncle? They would love to see you" and that his grandad, who had hearing aids, "heard everything Kenny said."

Robertson noted the timing of his move to Liverpool and the support he received off the pitch: he joined Liverpool for "the hilariously small sum of £8m in 2017" while his wife, Rachel, was expecting their first child, and he said the Dalglishes "helped so much that he could hardly ever repay them for their support and friendship." He described the transfer as, "the greatest move he could have possibly made."

Speaking about family and the next generation, Robertson said, "They're as proud of my brother as they are of me," and stressed personal values: "Anyone who knows me, my family, my friends, I always want them to like the person first, the footballer second." He noted long-standing friendships—"I've still got the same friends I went to nursery with at three years old. Three of my best friends." On youth development he referenced other Scottish players and the need to protect young players: "We talk about that - my story, John McGinn's story, Ryan Christie's story," and warned, "There'll be a hundred people going, 'I could have been that'." He praised the younger squad members, adding, "Findlay Curtis just bounces about all the time. These are the kids that are going to bring the country forward."

to the match, Robertson said Scotland must respond after the previous outing against Slovenia, arguing they were "a yard off it in all areas last time out against Slovenia." He called that performance "Unacceptable," and said, "We didn't give our fans anything to shout about." He left the interview with a laugh about a final, small detail: "Forgot my washbag," he laughed. "Bet Kenny didn't have one of these!" Glasgow, Liverpool, Scotland — the ties that bind.

If he is selected to play on Monday in St Gallen, Switzerland, Robertson will break the record held by Kenny Dalglish for 40 years and become Scotland's most capped male player.