Craig Gordon Eager for Scotland’s World Cup Qualifiers

Craig Gordon’s most recent appearance for Scotland was against Greece in March.

The veteran goalkeeper is “absolutely” prepared to take the field for Scotland in the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Denmark this month, despite currently being the second-choice goalkeeper at Heart of Midlothian.

At 42 years old, Gordon has yet to feature for the Scottish Premiership leaders this season due to a neck injury sustained in May, alongside the summer acquisition of Alexander Schwolow, who joined after leaving Union Berlin.

With Angus Gunn sidelined—who had started Scotland’s first four matches in the World Cup group stage—head coach Steve Clarke faces a decision regarding his replacement. Liam Kelly, also a second-choice goalkeeper at Rangers, and Scott Bain, who has been recalled to the squad after a six-year absence following his regular play at promoted Falkirk, are both in contention.

When asked about his readiness to earn his 82nd cap in Piraeus on Saturday, Gordon stated, “Yeah, absolutely. That’s the manager’s call. I will be myself, do what I normally do, and train to the best of my ability. It’s unfortunate that we are in a situation where there are not many goalkeepers playing first-team football.”

Despite Gunn’s previous loyalty from Clarke, the 29-year-old has found himself without playing time at Nottingham Forest following his summer transfer from Norwich City. Gordon’s extensive experience surpasses that of the other goalkeepers in Clarke’s squad, although he acknowledged that Bain is currently ahead in terms of match fitness.

Having made his Scotland debut in 2004, Gordon’s last game was marked by a 3-0 home defeat to Greece in March. Scotland managed to avenge that loss with a 3-1 victory at Hampden last month, with Greece now out of contention for a top-two spot in Group C.

“We have played them multiple times recently with mixed outcomes,” Gordon remarked. “They are a strong team, particularly going forward, featuring many creative players. This will be a challenging match, regardless of their current standing. They’ve retained nearly the same squad, indicating their intent to compete.”

Gordon was part of the Scotland squad for the delayed 2020 European Championship but did not play, and he was omitted from consideration for the 2024 tournament in Germany. Approaching his 43rd birthday, he recognizes this as potentially his last opportunity to participate in major finals, which has been a lifelong aspiration.

“To reach a World Cup is a dream for everyone,” he expressed. “Many players are nearing 30 or just over, so opportunities will be limited. This is a significant moment. Having qualified for consecutive Euros, the motivation for this endeavor could not be higher.”