Andy Robertson hails Scotland call-up ahead of World Cup return

Scotland have travelled to the United States for their first World Cup since 1998, with supporters from the Tartan Army seeing the squad off at Glasgow Airport before departure.

The team will face Bolivia in New Jersey in their final warm-up match on Saturday before heading to their base in North Carolina. Their group stage campaign begins against Haiti in Boston on June 14, followed by matches against Morocco at Gillette Stadium and Brazil in Miami.

Robertson admitted he is trying not to look too far ahead, despite the scale of the occasion.

"Me actually walking out on the pitch the first game? I've not allowed my brain to go there yet," he told Sky Sports News. "I just don't like getting too far ahead. I think I'll then live in that moment when I know it's the night before and I know it's the day of the game.

"That's the way I've always worked, I never look too far ahead."

The 32-year-old, who is Scotland's second-most-capped player behind Sir Kenny Dalglish, said he initially expected to be included but still felt the emotional weight of the moment.

"I was pretty confident I'd be in the squad, but for me it's still a huge moment, it's still a huge pinch yourself moment that you've been called up to a World Cup squad for Scotland."

Robertson also reflected on the journey from childhood dreams to the world stage, recalling a message sent to close friends when the squad was announced.

"I was just like 'who would have thought we would all be going to the World Cup together when we're all playing as little kids and chasing after each other as 11 and 12 year olds?' And it was a real moment of sense of achievement because it's not easy to get to a World Cup."

He added that Scotland's long absence from the tournament, last appearing in 1998, has made the achievement even more meaningful.

"We've had some dark times, we've had some dark moments," he said. "But I think that's why our squad is so close."

READ MORE: Omar Berrada: Michael Carrick "earned the right" to coach Man Utd