FANS LEFT IN TOTAL DISBELIEF AS SCOTLAND CAPTAIN ANDREW ROBERTSON REVEALS WHY HE WILL NOT CAPTAIN THE TEAM AGAINST SLOVENIA

FANS LEFT IN TOTAL DISBELIEF AS SCOTLAND CAPTAIN ANDREW ROBERTSON REVEALS WHY HE WILL NOT CAPTAIN THE TEAM AGAINST SLOVENIA

Scotland are preparing for another important UEFA Nations League fixture against Slovenia, but attention has unexpectedly turned towards captain Andrew Robertson and the question of who could lead the national team at Hampden Park.

Robertson has been one of the most important figures in Scottish football for almost a decade. Since being appointed captain in 2018, the defender has led Scotland through major tournaments, difficult qualification campaigns and some of the most memorable moments of the modern era.

His importance to the national team was highlighted again only days ago when he reached 100 Scotland appearances during the 2-0 victory over North Macedonia. That achievement placed him alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish as only the second Scottish men’s player to reach a century of caps.

However, as Scotland prepare to welcome Slovenia to Hampden Park, questions surrounding the captaincy have generated significant interest among supporters.

Robertson’s remarkable Scotland journey

Robertson’s international career has been extraordinary.

He made his Scotland debut more than 12 years ago, coming off the bench against Poland as a teenager. His first start followed shortly afterwards against Nigeria, while his first international goal came against England at Celtic Park.

His rise continued rapidly, and in September 2018 he was appointed Scotland captain by Alex McLeish.

Since then, Robertson has become one of the country’s most recognisable sporting figures.

He has captained Scotland at Euro 2020, Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup, while also leading the team through the dramatic qualifying campaign that eventually secured Scotland’s return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence.

His leadership has also been recognised statistically. Before reaching 100 caps, Robertson had already captained Scotland more times than any previous player.

That makes any suggestion of him not wearing the armband particularly significant.

A historic night against North Macedonia

Robertson’s latest appearance for Scotland was already expected to be special before kick-off.

The defender entered the match against North Macedonia knowing that he was about to join an exclusive group of Scottish footballers.

Scotland ultimately produced one of their strongest performances of the Nations League campaign, winning 2-0 through goals from Kieron Bowie and John McGinn.

Robertson retained his place in the starting XI and officially reached his 100th Scotland cap. He is now only two appearances behind Dalglish’s all-time record.

The occasion was made even more memorable by the result.

After the match, Robertson admitted that reaching 100 caps was an incredible achievement but said the victory made the occasion even more special.

The Scottish FA also highlighted the defender’s importance to the country, describing his milestone as further evidence of his status as one of Scotland’s greatest-ever players.

Scotland face another test against Slovenia

The next challenge comes against Slovenia at Hampden Park.

Scotland have already faced Slovenia during this Nations League campaign, with the first meeting ending 0-0.

The Scots will therefore be hoping to build on their victory in North Macedonia and finish this extended international window with consecutive victories.

New head coach Sébastien Pocognoli secured his first win in charge against North Macedonia and will now want another positive result in front of the home supporters.

The Scottish FA has described the Slovenia fixture as an opportunity for Scotland to round off Pocognoli’s first camp on a high.

Why the captaincy matters

If Robertson were not to captain Scotland, it would represent a significant change.

The Liverpool and Scotland defender has held the armband since 2018 and has become synonymous with the role.

His leadership has been particularly important during a period in which Scotland have experienced both disappointment and historic success.

John McGinn has served as vice-captain and has developed a strong relationship with Robertson.

McGinn recently praised his Scotland teammate’s leadership, describing him as an unbelievable leader and a major example to the rest of the squad.

That relationship could become increasingly important as Scotland’s squad develops under Pocognoli.

The new manager has already introduced several younger players, with the current squad containing a significant number of players who were not part of the World Cup group during the summer.

Robertson himself has acknowledged that the squad is going through a period of change.

Speaking before Scotland’s first meeting with Slovenia in September, he explained that the players were learning the manager’s ideas while also trying to maintain the values that had served the national team well previously.

The bigger picture for Scotland

Whatever happens with the captaincy, Robertson remains central to Scotland’s plans.

At 32, he is approaching another historic milestone. With 100 appearances already secured, he needs only two more caps to move level with Dalglish as Scotland’s most-capped men’s player.

That could happen during the current international period or in the next window, depending on his involvement.

The Scottish FA has confirmed that Robertson is currently just two appearances short of Dalglish’s record.

That makes the situation particularly interesting for supporters.

For a player who has carried the captain’s armband for so many years, any change would naturally attract attention.

What supporters will be watching

The biggest question now is whether Robertson will start against Slovenia and, if he does, whether he will once again lead Scotland onto the pitch.

Current match previews have continued to list Robertson in Scotland’s expected starting XI, with Sports Mole predicting that he will line up at left wing-back and move closer to Dalglish’s appearance record.

The Scottish FA’s own latest preview also continues to refer to him as Scotland’s skipper.

That means supporters should wait for the official team news before treating any claim about a change in captaincy as confirmed.

Nevertheless, the discussion itself demonstrates just how important Robertson has become to the national team.

For years, Scotland have known who their captain would be.

Robertson has been that constant figure through managerial changes, tournament campaigns, difficult defeats and historic victories.

A new era under Pocognoli

Pocognoli’s arrival has brought a new atmosphere around the national team.

The Belgian coach has made it clear that he wants to build his own identity while retaining some of the foundations established previously.

That process has already involved introducing new players and giving younger members of the squad an opportunity to establish themselves.

Robertson’s experience could prove invaluable during that transition.

The Scotland captain has already spoken positively about the new environment and the challenge of adapting to the manager’s ideas.

He also stressed that Scotland still demand results despite being in a period of learning and transition.

The 2-0 victory over North Macedonia provided Pocognoli with his first win and gave Scotland confidence heading into the final game of the window.

The final word

Andrew Robertson’s Scotland career has already entered the history books.

From making his debut as a teenager to becoming captain, leading the country into three major tournaments and eventually reaching 100 international appearances, his journey has been remarkable.

He is now within touching distance of Dalglish’s long-standing appearance record.

That is why any potential change surrounding the captaincy naturally attracts such strong attention from Scottish supporters.

For now, however, the available official information does not confirm that Robertson has announced he will not captain Scotland against Slovenia. The Scottish FA continues to identify him as captain, while current previews expect him to feature against Slovenia.

Whatever happens at Hampden Park, one thing is certain: Robertson’s role in Scotland’s modern history is already firmly established, and his next appearance could take him another step closer to becoming the country’s most-capped men’s player.