Everton will have a cohort of players heading to the World Cup this summer, with a number of countries qualifying for the tournament in North America over the past few weeks – and one former record-breaker has joined that list.
Everton already have the likes of Jordan Pickford, Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye who are all but certain to play in the summer tournament. Meanwhile the likes of Ireland duo Seamus Coleman and Jake O’Brien – instrumental in Ireland’s play-off joys – and Vitaliy Mykolenko are battling for a spot with their nations after, while you can’t rule out an England spot for Jack Grealish.
The more players that represent Everton at the World Cup the better, with representation on the big stage only doing the club’s stature wonders. Ndiaye and Gueye’s strong current form will see them straight into the starting XI for Senegal.
But one former star in Steven Naismith will also be headed across the Atlantic Ocean this summer, with Scotland having qualified in a spectacular game on Tuesday evening.
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Steven Naismith has led Scotland to the World Cup after a superb final day showdown
Scotland went into their game with Denmark knowing that they needed to win to qualify for the World Cup.
Steven Naismith is currently Scotland’s assistant manager, having left Everton almost 10 years ago – and having dragged Hearts to third in the Scottish Premiership as a manager, he’s certainly got the credentials to succeed as a coach.
Scott McTominay’s stunning overhead kick sparked a crazy tie, with Rasmus Hojlund, Lawrence Shankland and Patrick Dorgu all scoring within regular time to leave Scotland in dire need of a winner.
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Kieran Tierney’s superb wrapped effort won the Tartan Army the game in stoppage time, before Kenny McLean’s halfway line strike sealed the deal.
And it will see Naismith and the rest of Scotland’s coaching staff lead their team to a first World Cup since 1998 as the current generation of fans finally get their shot on the big stage.
Steven Naismith holds Everton record that has yet to be matched
Steven Naismith was a real unsung hero at Everton.
Joining from Rangers in 2012 on a free transfer after the Scottish giants were liquidated due to financial issues, Naismith was initially used as a utility player by David Moyes in his compatriot’s final season in the dugout before Moyes’ move to Manchester United.
His first season was uninspiring to say the least, but Naismith quickly forged himself into a vital player for the Toffees with his finishing ability and knack of scoring crucial goals propelling him to cult hero status.
Goals against Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City to name but a few showed he had the talent to do it against the nation’s best.
Everton may need to qualify for Europe to keep some of their top players next year!
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However, it was Naismith’s record against Chelsea that stands out. Three goals in his first six games against the Blues saw him become a bogey player for the London side.
And his hat-trick against Chelsea in September 2015 saw him break an Everton record, becoming the first Toffees star and just the sixth Premier League player to score a hat-trick after coming off the bench.