When the final whistle blew in Munich’s Allianz Arena, Liverpool’s players held their arms high in victory. The Reds had marched into the German city and defeated the reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. The win enabled Liverpool to qualify for the tournament’s quarterfinals and continue their journey toward another Champions League final.
One man that celebrated the win with a big smile on his face was Liverpool left-back Andrew Robertson. The defender has had a meteoric rise at Anfield having joined the club in 2017 from Hull City.
Liverpool signed Robertson despite Hull’s relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2016-17 season. It is a move that the club’s scouting department hasn’t been praised for enough.
The Reds signed Robertson for a mere £8 million. After Liverpool’s win over Bayern, he was rated at £45m by Transfermarkt.co.uk.
Andrew Robertson – From Scotland to the top of the world
Just seven years ago, Robertson was playing in Scotland’s fourth division for Queen’s Park. Robertson had been close to entering university, but when he was called up to Queen Park’s first team, he took his chances on a pro career.
He spent just one season with Queen’s Park before leaving on a free transfer. After impressing clubs in Scotland, Robertson landed at Scottish Premiership club Dundee United. It was a massive step as Robertson leapfrogged two divisions.
Robertson continued to impress onlookers playing in 44 games, scoring five goals and contributing six assists. The full-back’s performances landed him the Scotland PFA Young Player of the Year award and a transfer to Premier League team Hull.
It is easy to forget, but Robertson was at Hull for three seasons. He solidified himself as the club’s left-back early on and played in 24 Premier League games that first term.
He suffered Premier League relegation in his first season. But a year later, Robertson helped Hull win promotion back to the top-flight. Unfortunately, Hull’s stay was short once more as the Tigers were relegated once more.
Robertson’s play was spotted by Liverpool; however, who quietly worked out a transfer for Robertson. While it went under the Premier League radar and was most likely dismissed by many onlookers, Liverpool signed him. Less than two years later, Robertson has become the league’s best left-back.
Since joining Liverpool, Robertson has featured in 66 matches scoring one goal but contributing a whopping 15 assists.
It has been a long road for Robertson to reach the heights of Europe and the Premier League. However, his talent and hard work have paid off. It is the same work all players must put in if they want to reach the highest highs in professional football.