Scotland stopper Craig Gordon, 42, says it’s ‘worth everything’ to reach first World Cup at his age | OneFootball

Veteran Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon said qualifying for his first World Cup at the age of 42 was worth all the turmoil he has endured in his career as he revealed Steve Clarke talked him out of retirement in the summer.

The Hearts number one, who has had to battle back from some severe injuries over the past two decades, was pondering his future in the game at the end of last season before extending his deal with his club for another year.

Despite not playing for the Jambos this term, Gordon, who made his Scotland debut in 2004 and will be 43 by the time next summer's finals kick-off, was thrust back into the breach for the incredible campaign-concluding double-header against Greece and Denmark.

"It's emotional," he told BBC Scotland after the dramatic 4-2 win over the Danes which sealed the Scots' place at their first global showpiece since 1998.

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Scotland celebrate after qualifying for the 2026 World Cup (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)

"It's been an awful long time coming, 20-odd years in this camp, trying to get there, some failures along the way, some bad nights out there, but I don't think I'll ever get one as good as that to be a part of.

"Incredible to be part of that. It's going to take a while to sink in before I can really think about the next step. I nearly retired in the summer.

"Steve Clarke was the one that told me to give it one more year, he might need me. I could have given all that up. That one moment there tonight, that is worth everything, all the disappointments, all the hard work, all the years that I've been trying.

"Seven hundred, 800 games, whatever I've played, for that one moment."