Craig Gordon is 43 and he is done. Oldest of the 1,248 players named for this World Cup. Zero minutes. Angus Gunn started the group games, and Gordon sat there with a career’s worth of caps and no debut when it finally mattered on the biggest stage. Weird ending. Kind of cruel, if I am honest. Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, at least got on the pitch.
“It has been a privilege to represent you. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
Craig Gordon, after the tournament
84 caps and a long wait
He first played for Scotland in 2004. He leaves on 84 caps, fifth all-time behind Dalglish (102), Robertson (97), Leighton (91) and McGinn (89). Scotland’s last World Cup before this one was 1998. Gordon made the 2026 squad and never got the start he had been circling for half his adult life.
Hearts, Sunderland, Celtic, Hearts again
Hearts kid. Loan at Cowdenbeath in 2001 for the first senior minutes, then the Edinburgh first team, Scottish Cup in 2006. Sunderland spent about £9 million in 2007, a British record for a keeper back then, and the Premier League years mostly fought injuries: 95 games in five seasons.
Celtic brought him north in 2014 and the medals piled up: five leagues, two Scottish Cups, five League Cups. Back to Hearts in 2020. This last season he barely played (three games) while the club almost pinched the Premiership, until Celtic beat them 3–1 on the final day and that dream died on the spot.
Twenty-five years. 682 club matches. A World Cup call-up with no minutes. Still one of the best Scotland keepers I have watched.
