FIFA president Gianni Infantino namechecked Scotland captain Andy Robertson alongside some of world football’s biggest stars while discussing Lionel Messi’s importance at the World Cup.
Speaking in Spanish to an Argentinian journalist, Infantino was outlining the global significance of Messi’s presence at the tournament when he broadened his answer to include other leading figures in the game.
In doing so, FIFA’s media director Bryan Swanson, a Scotland supporter, prompted Infantino to include Robertson in his list of elite players.
Infantino said: “Leo Messi is playing at this World Cup, which is very important for Argentina and it’s very important for everyone that likes football and the World Cup.
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“It’s the same with all the big players: Ronaldo, Mbappe, Dembele, Haaland, Lamine Yamal... all of them. All of them, which I am also going to forget and you are going to kill me because I forget this or that one. Harry Kane…”
At that point, Swanson interjected with “Andy Robertson”, prompting Infantino to respond: “Andy Robertson. All of them.”
Infantino added that every supporter has their own footballing idol, reflecting on his own childhood hero: “Everyone has their own idol. My idol when I was a kid was — and it won’t interest anyone, but I am just saying, was Evaristo Beccalossi, who died a few weeks ago.
“For me, he should have played and started in the national team in ’82. He never played for the Italy national team, and Italy won the World Cup, and we celebrated in every way.”
