‘Emotional’ Scotland GK Gordon makes first World Cup aged 42
MANCHESTER, England – Veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon secured a place at his first World Cup at the age of 42, completing a remarkable late-career milestone after Scotland sealed qualification with a dramatic win over Denmark. The Hearts captain, who signed a one-year contract extension last summer, revealed that national team manager Steve Clarke convinced him to postpone retirement ahead of the qualifying campaign.
Gordon, who debuted for Scotland in 2004 and has returned from multiple long-term injuries throughout his career, had not featured for Hearts this season but was recalled for Scotland’s decisive matches against Greece and Denmark. The former Sunderland and Celtic goalkeeper will be 43 when next summer’s tournament begins, making him one of the oldest debutants in World Cup history.
Speaking to BBC Scotland after the 4-2 victory over Denmark, Gordon described the achievement as “emotional” and said the moment justified the setbacks he has endured. “It’s been 20-odd years in this camp, trying to get there,” he said. “Some failures along the way, some bad nights, but I don’t think I’ll ever get one as good as that. I nearly retired in the summer, and Steve Clarke told me to give it one more year — he said he might need me.”
Manager Clarke praised his squad’s resilience and the quality of their goals on a night that saw Scotland overturn Denmark’s lead in stoppage time. Scott McTominay opened the scoring with an overhead kick, before substitute Kieran Tierney curled in a late strike to put Scotland 3-2 ahead. Kenny McLean added a sensational long-range lob in the final seconds to secure qualification.
Clarke said the emotional swings of the match forced constant tactical adjustments. “At times you’re looking for solutions and thinking how to change it,” he said. The manager added that Tierney had been earmarked for a substitute role, noting the defender’s ability to make an impact from an unfamiliar right-back position. “I’m not sure I envisioned the goal,” Clarke said, “but when it rolled back to him on his left foot, I knew he would score.”
Gordon, who has made hundreds of club appearances across two decades, said reaching the World Cup justified his decision to continue playing. “Seven hundred, 800 games, whatever I’ve played — that one moment is worth everything,” he said.
Scotland’s return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 marks another significant step in Clarke’s rebuild, while Gordon’s selection underscores the manager’s trust in experienced players. For the veteran goalkeeper, the finals represent a long-awaited pinnacle in a career defined by perseverance and late revival.