Scottish and English football are mourning the loss of legendary winger John Robertson, who passed away at the age of 72. A former Scotland international and a Nottingham Forest icon, Robertson was famously described by legendary manager Brian Clough as “the Picasso of our team” for his artistic brilliance on the pitch.

Robertson remains a central figure in Nottingham Forest’s historic European success. In the 1980 European Cup final, he scored the decisive and only goal against Hamburg, helping Forest retain their continental crown.

On the international stage, Robertson also left his mark. He scored the only goal in Scotland’s memorable victory over England in 1981. At the 1982 FIFA World Cup, he found the net again in Scotland’s 5-2 win over New Zealand—the team’s only victory in that tournament.

Robertson earned 28 caps for Scotland, scoring 8 goals. His club career flourished at Nottingham Forest, where he made 386 appearances and scored 61 goals between 1970 and 1983. He also featured for Derby County before returning briefly to Forest later in his career.

After retiring as a player, Robertson continued to contribute to football as an assistant coach to Martin O’Neill, working with clubs such as Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic, Aston Villa, and Wycombe Wanderers.

His passing marks the end of a golden chapter in football history. John Robertson’s legacy as one of the game’s true artists will live on forever.