Audio By Carbonatix
Andy Robertson says he and his Liverpool team-mates will "probably never get over" Diogo Jota's death.
The Liverpool and Portugal forward, 28, and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash in July.
"I don't think anyone could care less about football when things like that happen," said Scotland captain Robertson.
"Such a shock. Devastating for his family first and foremost, but obviously devastating for us as a group of lads.
"It puts life into perspective as to what's important - spending time with your family, spending time with your kids, because you never know what's around the corner."
With his starting place no longer assured, left-back Robertson had chosen to stay on at Anfield before Jota's death and explained he felt a strong responsibility to help others as an experienced member of the squad.
"It's the toughest thing we'll ever go through," he added. "Losing one of your closest mates for me was hugely difficult, and it's something we'll probably never get over, but it's just something that we have to carry with us.
"We have to carry the memories we've got with us, and as long as we continue to do that, then it'll always be in our thoughts. He will always be in our hearts.
"It didn't influence my decision. The decision was already made before the tragedy, but I knew in that moment that the club needed me.
"I know I am one of the leaders in the team, and I have obviously been made vice-captain now.
"It's going to take a lot this season. I know football was irrelevant, but if you take the football out of it, even as lads in the changing room, we are all going to need help during the season.
"We've already had difficult moments in terms of the first time in front of fans, having to go to your team-mate's funeral, which is absolute madness to even say, and everything else that followed.
"I know the leaders in that changing room have got a big job to do in terms of trying to help everyone as a club and even Diogo's family through this massively difficult moment.
"It won't get easier, but maybe we can numb the pain a little bit as time goes on. It's up to as leaders to try and guide us guide us through that."
Latest Stories
-
Meet Emelia Naa Ayeley Aryee, the Ghanaian Gender Advocate helping couples overcome infertility stigma
2 minutes -
Oil pulls back as traders look for progress on US-Iran talks
47 minutes -
The proposed imposition of a 0.75% fee on Mobile Money-To-Bank transfers raises serious concerns regarding fairness, financial inclusion, and the underlying principle of interoperability within the digital financial ecosystem
49 minutes -
Trump raises refugee ceiling by 10,000 to bring in more white South Africans
54 minutes -
One killed and others missing after chemical explosion at US paper mill
1 hour -
First Ghanaians set to be repatriated from South Africa over anti-immigrant protests
1 hour -
Deliver or be questioned – Majority Chief Whip warns OSP
1 hour -
Crime is everywhere – Dafeamekpor slams OSP’s Accra-centred operations
2 hours -
Don’t be cocooned in Accra – Dafeamekpor pushes OSP to invade districts
2 hours -
Free sanitary pads and pad bank Initiative cut teenage pregnancy in Bosomtwe – Girl Child coordinator
2 hours -
Asunafo North Municipal Assembly deploys DL-Rev Software to tackle revenue shortfall
3 hours -
General Mosquito promised to ‘annihilate’ NPP – Dafeamekpor reveals details of earlier tour
3 hours -
Asiedu Nketia has been touring since 2021, not plotting new campaign, says Dafeamekpor
3 hours -
Apple, Google push for judicial oversight in Canada online safety bill
3 hours -
Micron joins $1 trillion club as AI race powers memory chip boom
4 hours