John Robertson, Nottingham Forest legend nicknamed the Picasso of football, has died
Grief has descended upon English and international football circles after Nottingham Forest announced today the death of their legendary John Robertson, the left winger nicknamed "the Picasso of football" for his exceptional skill, at the age of 72.
The club issued an official statement on its website mourning the late player, saying: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Nottingham Forest legend and dear friend John Robertson. Robertson is one of the greatest players in our club’s history and won the European Cup twice with us. We will never forget his unique and unparalleled talent, his humility, and his unwavering loyalty to the club.”.
Why was he nicknamed "the Picasso of football"?
John Robertson was more than just a typical winger; he was the mastermind behind Nottingham Forest's golden era under the legendary Brian Clough. Clough dubbed him "our game's Picasso" for his genius in orchestrating attacks and creating chances from impossible angles. Although he didn't possess the typical athletic appearance of a footballer at the time, his tactical intelligence was ahead of his time.
The architect of European glory and the miracle worker
Robertson's death is of great significance given his pivotal role in transforming Nottingham Forest from an obscure team into European champions. He was instrumental in their back-to-back European Cup (now Champions League) victories in 1979 and 1980.
Historical records indicate that Robertson created the only winning goal in the 1979 final against Malmo of Sweden with a perfect cross to his teammate Trevor Francis, and he returned the following year to score the winning goal himself in the 1980 final against Hamburg of Germany in the Spanish capital, Madrid, immortalizing his name as one of the few who contributed directly to deciding two consecutive continental finals.
A successful international and local career
The Scottish winger spent most of his football career at City Ground, where he played over 500 games for Nottingham Forest across two spells, and played a key role in winning the Premier League title and the League Cup.
Internationally, Robertson made 28 appearances for Scotland. His most memorable moment with the national team remains his historic winning goal against arch-rivals England in 1981, a match still etched in the memories of Scottish fans.
It is worth noting that in 2015, in recognition of his exceptional career, John Robertson topped a poll conducted by the Nottingham Post to choose the best player in the club's history, surpassing many stars, thus confirming his indelible place in the history of English football.
