Family's Journey to Witness World Cup Appearance
Steve Elliot expressed his satisfaction that two of Callan's brothers were present at the match in which Callan participated.
A father who journeyed thousands of miles to witness his son play briefly at the World Cup has stated he has no regrets about making the trip.
Callan Elliot, originally from Annan in southern Scotland, was selected for the New Zealand squad competing in the tournament currently held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
He entered as a late substitute during their opening match against Iran but did not receive further playing time as the All Whites were eliminated in the group stage.
Despite his limited time on the field, proud father Steve remarked:
"We wouldn't have missed this for anything."
Callan played for about 13 minutes in the match with Iran
Callan was eligible to represent either Scotland or New Zealand but chose the latter, the country his family relocated to when he was nearly seven years old.
His parents, Steve and Susan, traveled 6,500 miles (10,500 km) to attend their opening game at the expansive SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Callan replaced Tim Payne late in the second half of the 2-2 draw with Iran, which was New Zealand's only point in the tournament.
Steve commented that they believed Callan had performed well enough to warrant playing in the remaining group matches.
Callan had the support of family who could not get to the games
"Although he only got 13 mins he stood up extremely well and was praised by his coach but perplexingly didn't get any more game time which was frustrating as we felt he deserved to - maybe a biased opinion,"
He also expressed satisfaction that other family members were present for the match in which Callan participated.
"It was good that two of his brothers were there to see him get on,"
"It brought back memories of them playing football in the garden at our home in Brydekirk over 20 years ago."
Impressions of the World Cup Venues and Future Aspirations
Steve noted the stadiums and fan zones at the World Cup had been impressive.
At just 26 years old, the defender has ample time to make a more significant impact in the future.
"I'm sure Callan's goal now is to make right back his own in the All Whites for the next four years at least,"
"He thoroughly enjoyed an unforgettable experience and wants to do it again, who wouldn't?."
His family also had a memorable experience.
The SoFi Stadium was their first game venue, and Steve described it as "absolutely amazing," reportedly costing $5 billion to build and featuring state-of-the-art facilities, making it an unforgettable memory.
He added that the BC Stadium in Vancouver was also impressive, though not quite on the same level as SoFi.
Steve praised the fan zones as "tremendous set-ups" that were "hugely supported," and affirmed that the family would gladly undertake their World Cup journey again.
"What we felt was pride, excitement, frustration and disappointment,"
"But lock us in for next one if the football gods smile upon us and Callan."
Community Engagement
invites readers from the south of Scotland to suggest stories they would like covered.
and Further Reading
- From Annan Athletic to the World Cup: The Scot playing for New Zealand
- The Scot dreaming of a World Cup with New Zealand
