SCOTTISH-BORN FOOTBALLER'S FATHER TRAVELS 6,500 MILES FOR WORLD CUP APPEARANCE

Steve Elliot travelled 6,500 miles from Scotland to watch his son Callan play at the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Callan, originally from Annan in south Scotland, appeared as a late substitute for New Zealand in their opening match against Iran at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. He played 13 minutes in the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Steve stated he had no regrets about the journey, saying: "We wouldn't have missed this for anything."

Callan was eligible to represent either Scotland or New Zealand and chose to play for New Zealand, the country his family relocated to when he was seven years old. He did not receive further playing time as New Zealand failed to progress beyond the group stage, recording only one point across three matches. Steve said his son had performed well in his appearance and received praise from his coach, adding that the family believed Callan deserved opportunities in the other two group games. Two of Callan's brothers attended the Iran match, an outcome Steve said brought back memories of the three playing football together in their garden at Brydekirk over two decades earlier.

Steve expressed confidence that Callan would have further opportunities with New Zealand's squad in future tournaments. He stated his son's goal was to establish himself as a regular right-back for the All Whites over the next four years. Steve said Callan had found the World Cup experience enjoyable and wanted to participate in future competitions. The Elliot family described their overall experience at the tournament as positive.