He's the last man standing from a golden generation of Scotland glove rivals that spanned almost two decades.
That Craig Gordon has earned 70 caps in an era which saw him battle Allan McGregor and David Marshall - not to mention two years on the sidelines with a knee injury - to be the nation’s number one says much for the Hearts hero’s desire to represent his country. McGregor and Marshall both called time on their international careers just short of the 50-cap Hall of Fame mark.
But Gordon is long past that milestone and with three massive Nations League encounters over the next week against Ukraine home and away and Ireland at Hampden, is set to move sixth in the all-time record caps list on 73. Nowadays it’s not just the next batch of keepers including Jon McLaughlin, Liam Kelly and Zander Clark that the towering shotstopper is battling though. It’s Father Time.
Thankfully, just three months shy of his 40th birthday and in age-defying form, there’s still no hint of retirement entering his thoughts. Gordon said: “I just love it. I love playing for Scotland.
“It’s the highest level that you can play at really and every time I am fortunate enough to go out and play for Scotland is a huge honour for me. It motivates me to keep playing well for Hearts and to be able to be involved in the national team. I don’t want to give my place up easily.
“I’ve fought so hard over the years with different goalkeepers to earn as many caps as I have and I want to keep going and get as many as I can. As long as my body feels good and I’m still able to play I will try and continue to play as long as I can.”
Marshall called time on his own impressive Scotland career in the wake of the gut-wrenching World Cup play-off defeat to Ukraine back in June as he looked to put everything into his football at Hibs. Gordon may be more than two years his Edinburgh derby rival’s elder but doubling up for club and country is no problem. Yet.
He said: “It's one season at a time when you get to this stage. I wouldn't want to (take a rest) but there may come a time where that has to happen. But it certainly isn't something I would like to do.
“I don't know what a break is, what having a rest is. Since I came back into the international team it's been a lot of games, been very hectic, and even right over the summers. I don't see that changing, I will just go as long as I can and try to keep playing as many games as possible.”
Scotland have a point to prove against Ukraine after the Hampden flop last time out. Victory would see Steve Clarke’s side leapfrog their opponents at the top of the group ahead of the visit of the Irish and the return clash with the Ukranians in Poland next Tuesday.
Gordon insists the Scots squad is in a far better place mentally and physically this time as they look to finish strongly and clinch another play-off spot - this time for Euro 2024 - by winning the group. He said: “It was a disappointing camp all round last time. We need to do better.
“It's a different stage of the season. Hopefully we have got a lot more players who are in a better frame of mind, better condition. There were a lot of tired players trying to grind it out last time.
"Some had played 50-60 games already leading up to that and it's impossible to keep going at the very highest level when you have to play that amount of games. You had players who had had a lot of disappointments, missing out on Champions League, top-four qualification, whatever it may be.
“There were a few who had disappointing ends to the season and it was very difficult then to lift it to go again. However much mentally you want to do it, physically when you have played that amount of football, it is difficult.
“Hopefully we are in a better position now, we will be desperate to go out there and put that right and get ourselves to the top of the group. It's good opposition, it's always going to be difficult, but we will go in trying to win them and if we can do that then we will get what we need to get that play-off spot.”
Gordon is certainly going into the match in top form having produced heroics to keep Motherwell out in Sunday’s 3-0 win at Fir Park just three days after his saves also helped deny Latvians RFS in a 2-0 Europa Conference League victory.
He said: “I’s been good. Last season was great for me personally but it took a little while over the summer because I didn’t get much of a break.
“It felt like more of a struggle coming back into pre-season so early. But I do feel the more I get into a run of games then keeping playing is the best way of keeping my fitness and my form up.”
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