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Andy Robertson recalled a conversation he had with Diogo Jota during the 2022 World Cup, when the pair were on a Liverpool training camp in Dubai after missing out on the tournament altogether.
Scotland failed to qualify for the showpiece in Qatar after losing to Ukraine in a play-off semi-final at Hampden Park, while a calf injury ruled Jota out of selection contention for Portugal.
Robertson was clearly emotional after Scotland secured qualification for the tournament courtesy of a 4-2 victory over Denmark on Tuesday night.
It is the first time Scotland has made it to a World Cup since 1998, and Robertson spoke about how he and Jota used to discuss what it would be like to turn out for their respective countries on the biggest stage in sport.
"I go back to the Qatar World Cup when we were eon a training camp in Dubai," Robertson said on Sky Sports. "Jots missed out due to injury, I missed it due to missing out in the play-offs. We always discussed how it would feel playing in a World Cup.
"Obviously it was a bit more likely that it was going to happen for him with Portugal than [me with] Scotland. Then today when I woke up I couldn't get him out of my head all day.
"I hid it well from the lads probably, but being in the room all I could think about was him. I know he was smiling down tonight, I know he'll have a smile on his face wherever he is, and hopefully he'll have a smile on his face in the summer when hopefully I get to represent my country during the World Cup."
Speaking to the BBC, Robertson said he was looking forward to toasting Scotland's qualification with Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish.
It looked as though Scotland's qualifying campaign was going to end in glorious failure as the game headed into stoppage time with the scores level at 2-2, but late strikes from Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean secured a 4-2 win.
Scotland's last appearance at a World Cup may have come 28 years ago, but there was a time when the Tartan Army was a regular on the biggest stage of all.
Liverpool legend Dalglish featured at the 1974, 1978 and 1982 World Cups during a run which saw Scotland qualify for six out of seven World Cups between 1974 and 1998.
Robertson was interviewed by Dalglish's daughter, Kelly Cates, in the aftermath of Scotland's win over Denmark, and the Liverpool left-back said: “I can’t wait to go back down to Liverpool and share a red wine with your da. He always spoke about World Cups.”
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