Forty years, one number
102. Kenny Dalglish got there in 1986, in a 3-0 win over Luxembourg at Hampden, and nobody in a Scotland shirt has matched him since. On Friday night Andy Robertson will.
The Scotland captain, now 32, is in line for cap number 102 when North Macedonia visit in the Nations League. Kick-off is 7.45pm. Three days later the record could be his outright, if he features away to Switzerland in St Gallen on Monday in the final group game.
Robertson does not want the spotlight. Speaking on Thursday, he made clear he sees the moment as a chance to honour Dalglish rather than celebrate himself, and he called the former Liverpool forward “the greatest” the country has produced, a status he believes caps alone will never change.
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A Liverpool link that runs deep
The two men are close. Robertson arrived at Anfield from Hull City in 2017 and Dalglish, a club icon, quickly became a sounding board. When Robertson was handed the Scotland armband, Dalglish was among the first to message him and offer help if he ever needed it. The pair have joked about the record for years, and Robertson expects a few texts to fly between them this week.
He also spoke about the Dalglish family supporting his own during his Liverpool years. That bond explains the tone. He was blunt about it: once he moves past Dalglish, he will be ahead in caps and nothing more.
Robertson made his debut against Poland in 2014. Since then he has led Scotland at three major tournaments, and he now plays his club football at Tottenham.
A squad still finding its feet
The milestone lands at an awkward time for the national team. Scotland have won one of their four games under new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli, so Friday is about more than a landmark. Scott McTominay is back in the squad after missing out, and Rangers left-back James Penrice has earned a first call-up.
Sentiment will fill Hampden on Friday. Points are what Pocognoli needs.
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