Rute Cardoso has written to Andrew Robertson before Scotland's World Cup campaign, and the letter has become the emotional centre of the story. Robertson says it will stay with him for a long time, and that he will carry Diogo Jota with him when Scotland start against Haiti on 2026-06-14 01:00:00+00. Scotland are heading to their first World Cup in 28 years.
What Robertson said about the letter
Robertson was clear about how much the note meant to him. "It's amazing of Rute to take the time, for what she's going through, to write me a letter. But it just sums up the person that she is," he said.
Rute's message was direct in its own way, telling Robertson he would not walk out alone and that Jota's dream would go with him. She wrote, "By achieving that moment, you won't be going alone; you'll be taking his dream with you too," and added, "He would be and is incredibly proud of you. Cherish that dream, Andy. Live it for yourself and for him."
Why this World Cup matters more than most
The personal weight here is obvious, but the timing matters too. Robertson said he and Jota spoke about getting to America for the World Cup, and he was in tears on the Hampden pitch when Scotland qualified against Denmark in November.
Robertson also said, "Thank you, that letter will stay with me for a very long time. And we've got to carry him with us. We will always make sure that his name will never be forgotten, that his memories will always be cherished." He added, "I'm just gutted that it was taken away from him. But obviously I'll carry him in my heart and I know he'll be with me come the first game, the second game, the third game - and hopefully beyond that."
That leaves Scotland's group stage with a very clear emotional backdrop. After Haiti, they face Morocco on 2026-06-19 22:00:00+00 and Brazil on 2026-06-24 22:00:00+00, with Robertson saying, "I'm not only just playing for me, I'm playing for both of us."
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