Jota's widow writes emotional World Cup letter to Andy Robertson

Robertson Jota Rute Cardoso

The widow of late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has sent a deeply moving letter to Scotland captain Andy Robertson ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Rute Cardoso urged the left-back to carry the memory and unfulfilled international dreams of his former Anfield team-mate, who tragically passed away following a road accident.

Robertson prepares for emotional campaign

Robertson guided Scotland to their first global tournament qualification since 1998 following a decisive 4-2 victory over Denmark in November last year. In the emotional aftermath, the skipper revealed that his late friend had heavily occupied his thoughts throughout the qualifying campaign. The two had previously bonded over their shared aspirations of reaching the finals while training together during the 2022 tournament, which the Portuguese forward had unfortunately missed through injury.

Diogo Jota & Andy Robertson - Liverpool

Cardoso urges captain to cherish dream

In a poignant piece of correspondence published by the world governing body, the mother of three expressed profound appreciation for the defender's enduring loyalty. Written to the Scotland international ahead of the summer showcase, Cardoso said: "I am writing to you with a heart full of longing, gratitude and, above all, pride.

"Diogo often spoke of you. Of the friendship you built, the battles you fought together, the challenges, the laughter, the conversations about football… and about dreams. The World Cup was one of those dreams, a dream that the two of you nurtured, side by side, with the same passion with which you took to the pitch.

"When I heard your words and learnt what you felt on that day when Scotland qualified for the World Cup, after so many years of waiting, I realised that Diogo never truly left the pitch. By achieving that moment and securing your place at the World Cup, you won’t be going alone. You’ll be taking his dream with you too. And when you step on to the pitch, I know it won’t just be you walking out, Diogo will be with you in your thoughts, in your steps, in your heart.

"So today, I want to thank you. Thank you for not forgetting him. Thank you for taking him with you. Thank you for turning the pain of loss into strength and into something so beautiful. That’s how we do it here at home too. Every day. He would be, and is, incredibly proud of you. Cherish that dream, Andy. Live it for yourself and for him."

Anfield bond transcends tragic loss

The footballing community was left devastated when the 28-year-old forward and his brother, Andre Silva, lost their lives. Robertson, who was visibly moved when presented with the message by media staff, pledged to honour his close friend throughout the tournament.

Reacting to the gesture, Robertson said: "It’s obviously amazing of Rute to even take the time, for what she’s going through, to write me a letter, but it just sums up the person that she is. Thankfully, I got to know her and the amazing times that they had.

"That letter will stay with me for a very long time. I’ll carry him in my heart and I know he’ll be with me come the first game, come the second game, come the third game and hopefully beyond that.

"He’s always there. The memories are always something that we bring up and sometimes laugh, sometimes cry. And that will be no different, especially going into a tournament which is full of emotion. I know he’ll be right at the front of my mind. I’m not only just playing for me, I’m playing for both of us."

Andy Robertson - Scotland 2026

Tottenham-bound Robertson faces ultimate test

The 32-year-old left-back got a solid 45 minutes under his belt during Scotland's comfortable 4-0 warm-up win over Bolivia. With their final friendly out of the way, Robertson is now ready to lead his side into a demanding Group C campaign alongside Haiti, Morocco and Brazil. The real test begins when they kick off their World Cup journey against Haiti at Boston Stadium on Sunday, June 14, where getting an early win will be crucial.