David Wotherspoon made St Johnstone history by becoming their first player to take part in a World Cup.
And now he’s set his sights on breaking yet more new ground – getting to a second one.
Canada are co-hosts in 2026 and the nation has already caught soccer fever on the back of John Herdman’s side making it to the finals for the first time since 1986.
They didn’t win a game or progress to the knockout stage in Qatar but the experience has whetted the appetite for a home World Cup.
And, even though he’ll be 36 by that point, Wotherspoon isn’t closing the door on being part of it.
“The next World Cup will come round before you know it,” said Saints’ three-time cup winner.
“There will be Gold Cups and other things before that and we’ll focus on each one as it comes along.
“I think it’s more than a case of Canada being on the cusp of becoming a football or ‘soccer’ nation – I think it IS now a soccer nation.
“I think half the nation sat down to watch the Croatia game and a quarter for the Belgium game.
“That shows the progress that we’ve made and we want to push it even more.
“I want to experience it again. I want to get back there and keep pushing myself.
“As long as my body will let me and Canada keep picking me I’ll do my best to get into their team.”
Wotherspoon added: “I’ve loved it over the years. It’s like a family away from home.
“The welcome you get in that camp is a very rare thing to find.
“It’s just like St Johnstone – another incredible environment to be part of.
“I was part of the youth set-up in Scotland and there was a lot of ‘you play for this team or you play for that team’. It’s different with Canada. It doesn’t matter who you play for.
“Like with my comeback from injury, I’ll take it a bit at a time and work towards that final goal.
“Somebody like Atiba Hutchinson (who is 40 and played all three group games) is a real role model.
“He’s an incredible man and an incredible footballer. You forget how old he is.”
De Bruyne and Modric
It will take a long time for everything that goes with participating in a World Cup to sink in for Wotherspoon, who has been rubbing shoulders with greats of the game.
“It’s all happened so quickly,” he said. “It was a surreal experience.
“I’ve got memories that I’ll cherish for life and I had my family in Qatar to see me play in a World Cup, which is incredible.
“For the first game I’ve walked out on to the pitch and there’s Kevin De Bruyne. He’s taller than he looks!
“Watching these players – the likes of De Bruyne and Modric – in real life was unbelievable.
“Belgium didn’t have the tournament they wanted but they were one of the favourites to win the whole thing before a ball was kicked.
“Even their coaches and players were saying we played them off the park. But they got their chance and they took it. That performance showed what we can do.
“Looking back, it was probably one of the toughest groups in the tournament.”
Canada's first goal at the men's World Cup! ✅
A historic moment from Alphonso Davies 🇨🇦#BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/1aOxaeQco4
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 28, 2022
Perth support
For Wotherspoon, it wasn’t just the reaction of Canadians to the World Cup adventure that made the trip so special.
It was knowing that he had his family, club and home city in his corner.
“I knew from my brother and the rest of my family that people back home in Perth were getting behind us,” said the former Scotland under-21 international.
“And it was all over Twitter.
“My phone blew up when it was announced I was in the squad and after I got on the pitch in the Morocco game it went crazy again.
“I’m so grateful for everybody’s support. It’s so humbling.
“I’m just a boy from Perth in Scotland who has somehow managed to make my way to Qatar.
Very proud moment for the @PerthHighSchool community to see David on the pitch at the World Cup. Representing Canada, but also representing all of us at PHS. Congratulations David! @Spoony_10 @CanadaSoccerEN https://t.co/Rx8zkpN47X
— Perth High PE (@Perthhigh_pe) December 2, 2022
“I’d never have thought in my wildest dreams I’d end up playing in a World Cup.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve received and the support I’ve got.
“I knew Jason Scotland had gone to the World Cup but I didn’t know whether he had played or not.
“I’ll keep pushing to try and break more records and achieve more things.”
Wotherspoon got a 20-minute run-out in the final match against Morocco.
Never will the words “you’re going on” have meant so much.
“We’d already made four subs and there was three of us warming up,” he recalled.
“A minute later it was a case of ‘right, get ready, you’re going on’.
Spoony coming into the game with Canadian commentary pic.twitter.com/jI9joVEpsw
— Guillaume Cameron (@Yomi_Cameron) December 2, 2022
“Morocco were making two subs as well so there was a bit of time for me to get on the pitch and absorb that moment of ‘I’m playing at the World Cup!’
“So many people would love to do it and I was getting that opportunity.”
The Spoony Chop taken out to Qatar
The ‘Spoony Chop’ being showcased at the biggest tournament of them all was now in his gift and the McDiarmid Park legend didn’t let the opportunity pass when he squared-up Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi in the 82nd minute.
“As the ball was coming to me I knew straightaway what I was going to do,” he said.
It did look familiar…#SJFC | @Spoony_10 pic.twitter.com/FLaXUldDNH
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) December 1, 2022
“I could see him coming in and I was ready to do what I usually do, chop back and cross it in.
“The cross wasn’t the greatest, I’ll say that. It could have been a lot better. It got us a corner, though, which I was happy enough with.
“Thankfully there are still defenders out there who don’t know what’s coming!”
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