The 43-Year-Old Goalkeeper Who Almost Didn't Make It to His First World Cup Alive
At 43, Craig Gordon heads to the World Cup with Scotland after a career defined by comebacks and surviving critical moments.
Craig Gordon, a 43-year-old goalkeeper, was called up by Scotland for the World Cup and became the oldest player ever to represent the country at the tournament. His presence in the competition had been considered virtually unimaginable just a few months before the call-up.
Gordon's journey is marked by a series of comebacks from difficult moments — including a period in which his life was genuinely at risk. The World Cup call-up represents yet another chapter in that story of recovery.
At 43, the Scottish goalkeeper arrives at the tournament carrying a narrative that goes beyond football: that of someone who had to rebuild his career more than once to reach what had seemed completely out of reach.