Craig Gordon has been recalled to the Scotland squad ahead of their pivotal World Cup qualifying double-header against Greece and Belarus, marking a significant moment in the veteran goalkeeper’s comeback from injury.
The 42-year-old, capped 81 times for his country, has not featured competitively since May and is yet to make a matchday squad for Heart of Midlothian this season as he continues his recovery from a neck injury. Despite his absence from club action, head coach Steve Clarke has opted to bring Gordon back into the fold, replacing Zander Clark. Full-back Max Johnston (Derby County) and centre-back Dominic Hyam (Blackburn Rovers) also miss out from the previous selection.
Scotland sit on four points after an encouraging start to the campaign, having drawn 0-0 in Denmark and beaten Belarus 2-0 in Hungary. They now host Greece at Hampden Park on 9 October before facing Belarus again three days later, with both fixtures broadcast live on the BBC.
Greece, who opened their campaign with a win over Belarus before falling to Denmark in Athens, will arrive in Glasgow buoyed by positive memories of their last visit. In March’s Nations League play-off, they overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit with a commanding 3-0 win at Hampden, a match that also marked Gordon’s most recent appearance for the national team.
Clarke has opted for a streamlined squad this time, with notable omissions including Lawrence Shankland, the Hearts captain who has scored seven goals this season, and Tommy Conway of Middlesbrough. The decision underlines Clarke’s focus on tactical cohesion and squad balance over sheer depth.
Celtic’s Anthony Ralston returns after missing the previous international window through injury, having made his club comeback last weekend. Meanwhile, first-choice goalkeeper Angus Gunn, who kept two clean sheets earlier this month, remains in the squad despite not playing since joining Nottingham Forest in the summer. Liam Kelly also retains his place despite limited minutes at Rangers, featuring only in the Premier Sports Cup against Alloa Athletic.
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Heart of Midlothian), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers)
Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al-Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic)
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Gannon Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Napoli), Ben Miller (Udinese)
Forwards: Che Adams (Torino), Josh Bowie (Hibernian), Lyndon Dykes (Birmingham City), George Hirst (Ipswich Town)
Gordon’s return injects valuable experience into a Scotland side aiming to build on their strong start and move closer to World Cup qualification. With Greece eager to repeat their Hampden heroics and Belarus seeking redemption, Clarke’s men face a decisive test of their credentials in the weeks ahead.
