Christie admits ‘special’ feeling around Scotland golden generation

Ryan Christie says he feels extremely fortunate to be part of a golden generation of Scottish football talent.

The 29-year-old has been part of both Euros squads over the last few years, which ended a 23-year absence from men’s major international tournaments.

In 2021, the Inverness Caledonian Thistle academy graduate started the match against Czechia, while he won his 50th cap for his country after being named in Steve Clarke’s starting line-up for the Euro 2024 opener against Germany.

Those moments have been beyond Christie’s wildest ambitions from when he started out in football, and he is well aware of how unusual his experiences have been.

“I never imagined this at all,” he explained.

“It sounds daft, but when I was younger my biggest thing coming through the youth was just to play first team football for Inverness. If I could do that, I would be buzzing, and after that I would just see where it took me.

“I didn’t think I would play for Scotland once, so making my debut meant the world to me.

“I remember saying in the build up to the last Euros that I’m just amazed that I played for Scotland once, never mind getting to go to a Euros twice. I’m very lucky that I have stumbled into this golden generation of talent we’ve got right now.

“You see the teams the boys play for, and the performances they are putting in week in and week out – they come away with Scotland and do the same, so it’s pretty special to be a part of.”

While it undoubtedly has been a golden generation for Scotland’s men, making it to back-to-back Euros after such a lengthy absence from major international football tournaments, the pressure will now be on to ensure it lasts.

With a number of the country’s younger talents missing Euro 2024 due to injury, it remains to be seen what future squads may be able to bring to the table.

“When the years start rolling on, there needs to be a transition with the young boys, but the gaffer is brilliant at bleeding young boys in,” Christie reasoned.

“They haven’t been able to make it to the Euros, but you look at guys like Lewis Ferguson, Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson who are coming through and playing at the same level as the rest of us in club football.

“We obviously had Ben Doak in the squad as well, so the hope is that these boys can carry on the success for years to come.

“The difference between when I started playing for Scotland and now in terms of the feeling around football, everyone is pushing in the same direction now.

“It’s a pretty special feeling to bring everyone together, it’s really nice.”

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