Andy Robertson is set to become only the second man to play 100 times for Scotland, and the milestone could come in Saturday's Nations League trip to FYR Macedonia. The problem is the occasion sits inside a poor start, with Scotland on one point from two games and still scoreless in Sebastien Pocognoli's early matches.
Scotland's need for a response
Robertson's 100th cap should be the headline. Instead, Scotland's opening two games have left the captain carrying a much heavier job than the ceremony. A visit to a side that have already conceded five in their first two Nations League matches gives Scotland a route back into the contest, but it also underlines how flat their own start has been.
The captain has long had this landmark in sight. He said it was "obviously something that's been on my radar for a while now" and that "when you get to 80-odd caps, you start to look up." Scott McTominay added that Robertson is "such a great captain" and praised the way he can lead senior players while helping the younger ones.
Robertson's place in Scotland's set-up
The case for Robertson goes beyond the cap count. He has started 97 of his 99 caps and averaged 83 minutes per game, which is exactly why he has become such a fixed point for Scotland. Steve Clarke called him "a fantastic captain for Scotland" and said he has "worked ever so hard for the country" while leading the group like the leader he is.
That status matters because Scotland need their senior figures to set the tone in Skopje. L. Kenny holds the men's record on 102 caps, so Robertson is still a little way off that mark, but the only thing that really changes on Saturday is whether Scotland turn the trip into a response rather than another flat night.
Robertson is on 99 caps now. If he plays against FYR Macedonia, he reaches 100 and Scotland still have to turn the performance into a result.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
