Scotland captain Andy Robertson endured a difficult outing as Brazil cruised to a 3-0 victory, securing top spot in Group C at the 2026 World Cup.
The Tottenham Hotspur full-back, signed on a cut-price deal to inject title-winning nous into Ange Postecoglou’s squad, offered little to justify that faith against the Seleção.
The 32-year-old was bypassed with ease on one occasion and failed to make any notable impact, particularly lacking his usual attacking verve down the left flank.
Manager Steve Clarke acted decisively at the break, introducing Kieran Tierney in place of the Spurs man—and the Arsenal loanee immediately injected the drive and energy that had been sorely missing.
In hindsight, Clarke may regret not handing Tierney the starting berth, as his second-half display offered precisely the offensive spark Scotland craved.
One outlet even described Robertson’s early withdrawal as “almost a blessing in disguise.”
Scotland now face an anxious wait to discover if they will progress as one of the eight best third-placed sides—a peculiarity of the tournament’s new, controversial 48-team format.
For Robertson, this World Cup campaign has hardly served as an encouraging advert for his new employers. His displays against both Morocco and Brazil have raised eyebrows, with the veteran looking a shadow of his former self.
The logic behind Tottenham’s move was always debatable, despite his trophy-laden CV. He appeared to be in clear decline at Liverpool, and early signs suggest that trajectory is continuing in north London.
While Spurs were keen to add competition for the injury-prone Destiny Udogie, they already possess a flexible option in Djed Spence—who, despite being more natural on the right, has looked far more convincing than Robertson even when shifted to the left.
A more prudent approach would have been to promote youngster Souza as cover alongside Spence, affording the academy graduate valuable first-team minutes.
Instead, Souza now faces a loan move to gain experience, while Tottenham are left with an ageing alternative who is struggling to meet expectations.
