Scotland coach, Steve Clarke, and team captain, Andy Robertson, gave an interview on Tuesday afternoon (23), at the Hard Rock Stadium, the stage for Wednesday’s (24) duel with Brazil. Both spoke excitedly about the expectation of their team’s unprecedented qualification for the World Cup knockout stages, but only one question brought a wide smile.
“That’s the kind of question I like!”, said Robertson, when asked about the thirst shown by the Scots. Known as the Tartan Army, the army of fans wearing kilts in checkered patterns has been celebrating wherever they go at the World Cup – Boston knew the enthusiasm well – and has established its base in Miami, ignoring the American ban on drinking alcoholic beverages on the street.
“They are the best in the world. Wherever they go people fall in love with them. I think the people there [em Boston] He is inconsolable that they left. Tomorrow night, if we manage to beat Brazil, to repeat the construction you used,” he told a reporter, “I’m sure some beers will be drunk.”
On a more serious note, the left-back treated Scotland’s opponent in the third round of Group C with respect, especially Alisson. Leaving Liverpool for Tottenham, he was the Brazilian goalkeeper’s companion for the last eight seasons and alongside him, among other titles, won two editions of the English Championship and one of the European Champions League.
“He’s the best goalkeeper in the world. He’s an incredible goalkeeper and an even better person. I hope he finds the ball in the net more often than he’s used to,” he declared. “We are going to play against a giant country, the most iconic and World Cup winner. But we want to make history for our small country and we have the opportunity to do that.”
The coach’s phrases about the possibility of classification were similar. With a victory and a defeat, the Scottish team reaches the final round of the first phase with a chance of advancing to the knockout stages, something that has never happened before. For that, almost certainly a draw in Miami Gardens, on the outskirts of Miami, is enough.
“Scottish teams have never survived the group stage. So if we were top, that would obviously be very special,” Clarke said. “We have to be prepared to play with the best, because they have quality in all positions. If they have to make substitutions, they will also have quality coming from the bench”, he added.
One of Brazil’s options, finally, will be Neymar, whom the Scottish coach referred to as “one of the superstars of the modern era”. “I think that, coming off the bench, he can give the team a boost, because the public gets excited, he is an iconic figure. I am sure that [Carlo] Ancelotti will know how to use it in the best way.”
