Andy Robertson is poised to win his 100th cap for Scotland in the Nations League clash with North Macedonia in Skopje. The captain will become only the second man in over 150 years of international football to reach the century mark for the national team.
Robertson's journey from a 19-year-old Dundee United left-back making his debut in a 2014 friendly win over Poland to Scotland's most-capped outfield player has been remarkable. He was handed the armband by Alex McLeish in 2018 and has since led his country 29 times, including in 68 consecutive matches under former manager Steve Clarke. His driven mentality has been a cornerstone of Scotland's recent success, which included qualification for three major tournaments.
Robertson is now just three appearances shy of surpassing Sir Kenny Dalglish's record of 102 caps. Dalglish, who earned his final cap in a 1986 win over Luxembourg, has joked that Robertson has "millions more games" to play. Should Robertson feature in each of Scotland's remaining Nations League fixtures this year, he could eclipse the legendary forward's tally by November. Dalglish can at least console himself that his joint-record of 30 goals remains safely out of the left-back's reach, with Robertson having scored four times for his country.
John McGinn is lurking just eight caps behind his long-time teammate on the all-time list. The pair have been teammates since their youth days, first meeting at Under-11 level, and have been central figures for the national side. McGinn has stated his own ambitious target is to reach 120 or 125 caps. "He’s been an unbelievable leader for us and a great example, not just for me, but for everyone," McGinn said of Robertson. He added that he is coming after his captain's three-digit tally, aiming to emulate modern greats like Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo by playing deep into his thirties.
The milestone arrives as Scotland look to bounce back from a difficult spell, having lost 3-0 to Switzerland in their last World Cup qualifier. That result leaves them third in their World Cup group with three points from three matches. Robertson, who has started 97 of his 99 caps, will lead the side out once more as he continues to chase history, with his next target clearly in sight.
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