Craig Gordon: The Emotional Journey to the World Cup with Scotland
The experienced Scottish goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, expressed that qualifying for his first World Cup at the age of 42 has been worth it, considering all the effort and challenges he has faced throughout his career. He revealed that it was coach Steve Clarke who convinced him not to retire this summer. Gordon, who currently plays for Hearts, reflected on his future in football at the end of last season, before extending his contract with the club for another year. Despite not having played with the team this season, Gordon, who debuted with Scotland in 2004 and will turn 43 when the finals next summer begin, was called up for the crucial matches against Greece and Denmark. “It’s emotional. It’s been a long time, about 20 years in this team, trying to get there, some failures along the way, some bad nights, but I don’t think I’ll ever have one as good as that to be a part of it.” Gordon shared his feelings after the victory against Denmark, which secured the Scots’ place in their first global tournament since 1998.Before this achievement, Gordon was close to retiring. It was coach Steve Clarke who asked him to stay on for one more year, suggesting he might need him. Gordon highlighted that this moment was worth it, rewarding all the disappointments and hard work of his career years.
