Craig Gordon is 43 years old. He has made three club appearances this season. And he’s going to the World Cup.

Scotland named the Heart of Midlothian goalkeeper in their 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Born on December 31, 1982, he becomes the oldest player selected for this summer’s tournament, and his inclusion caps one of the more improbable comeback arcs in international football.

A 28-year wait ends with a 43-year-old in goal

Scotland haven’t played at a World Cup since France 1998. That’s 28 years of watching other nations compete on the biggest stage while Scottish fans perfected the art of bitter optimism.

His path to the squad was anything but smooth. An injury-plagued season at Hearts limited him to just three appearances. But Gordon’s contribution came when it mattered most, during the final stages of World Cup qualifying.

In November 2025, he featured in Scotland’s last two qualifiers. The standout moment was a pivotal 4-2 victory over Denmark, a result that helped secure the nation’s place in the tournament. In doing so, Gordon became the oldest European to appear in a World Cup qualifier, breaking a record that had stood since 1957.

That previous record belonged to Stanley Matthews.

More than 80 caps and counting

Gordon has earned over 80 caps for Scotland across a career that has stretched across two decades.

He has spoken openly about feeling that the opportunity to play at a major tournament had passed him by. Multiple times, in fact. Scotland’s repeated failures to qualify for World Cups and European Championships meant that Gordon’s best years came and went without the stage they deserved.

Group C: Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil

Scotland’s first match at the 2026 World Cup is scheduled for June 14, 2026, against Haiti. They’ve been drawn into Group C alongside Morocco and Brazil.

Haiti represents the most winnable fixture. Morocco, semifinalists at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, are a different proposition entirely.