Ben Gannon-Doak: Scotland’s Rising Star Eyes World Cup Qualification

Ben Gannon-Doak has earned 10 caps for Scotland.

**World Cup Qualifying: Greece vs. Scotland**
**Venue:** Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus
**Date:** Saturday, 15 November
**Time:** 19:45 GMT

**Coverage:** Available on BBC Scotland & iPlayer, listen via BBC Radio Scotland, Nan Gaidheal & Sounds, with live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app.

Not many 20-year-olds blow out birthday candles with a wish for a World Cup appearance in the coming year. However, Ben Gannon-Doak has shown that he is far from an ordinary individual.

The talented Bournemouth winger recently celebrated his birthday in Turkey, where coach Steve Clarke has taken his squad for a warm-weather training camp in preparation for their final two crucial World Cup qualifying matches.

The Scots are assured of a play-off spot, but Gannon-Doak and his teammates are aiming for automatic qualification. If they avoid defeat against Greece and secure a victory in a pivotal match against Denmark next Tuesday, they will achieve that goal.

“Easy,” he remarked to BBC Scotland. “I have no doubt in my mind that we’re going to go [to the World Cup].”

Gannon-Doak’s confidence should not be misconstrued as arrogance; in fact, he is far from it. At just 16 years old, he made the significant decision to leave home for the bright lights of the Premier League and Liverpool, an experience that profoundly humbled him.

“Joining a club of that stature has shown me the high standards of the game,” Gannon-Doak explained in Antalya. “It humbles you and reveals how much further you need to go, but it also demonstrates that if you perform well against top players, you can compete with anyone.”

This summer, Bournemouth invested £25 million in the young talent, who represents a beacon of hope for the Tartan Army in their quest to reach their first men’s World Cup in his lifetime.

Yet, the soft-spoken and courteous Gannon-Doak downplays any pressure that may come with such expectations. “I don’t really feel that responsibility, to be honest,” he stated regarding the supporters’ hopes. “There are players in the squad who have achieved far more than I have in my career. We have a strong squad, so the responsibility is shared among all of us to perform well as a team. Of course, it would be fantastic if I could make a significant contribution, but I care more about how we achieve success as a unit.”

And Gannon-Doak is confident that Scotland will indeed succeed.

He missed the previous trip to Piraeus for the Nations League play-off in March due to injury, an absence that was keenly felt across both legs. However, he started against Greece last month when Scotland secured an unexpected late victory.

“They’ll be looking for a bit of revenge this weekend,” said the birthday boy, who was wrapping up his day on the golf course with teammates, despite humorously admitting, “I’m not very good at golf.”

“We all recognize that we weren’t at our best against Greece, but we still managed to win, which is indicative of a good team. We’re all just relaxed. As the time approaches, we’ll focus and get the job done.”