Christie chases new dreams on same stage as idol Messi

Scotland midfielder Ryan Christie says playing in a World Cup is a dream come true, but the team is quickly shifting focus to new goals. After the opening victory over Haiti, Christie became tearful, admitting that such an achievement once felt out of reach for him and several teammates.

"It felt so out of reach for me and a few of the other boys," he said. "To be doing this here is incredible. Everybody has that feeling that you're playing on a stage that all eyes across the globe are watching. You're just desperate to make a name for yourself."

After a brief substitute appearance against Haiti, Christie could start against highly-dangerous Morocco in Boston on Friday. Scotland are considered significant underdogs, but Christie takes confidence from the fact they have gone toe-to-toe with teams as good as Morocco in recent years.

At 31, Christie is not naive. He knows how brutally hard it will be against Morocco. "We need to keep their chances as low as possible and then do our bit when we get the chance to hurt them," he explained. Christie believes Scotland can make it difficult for Morocco and, when asked if he truly thinks they can win, replied: "Absolutely. Especially after the first result against Haiti. We're trying not to get too ahead of ourselves, but you've got to draw confidence from that."

Christie recently signed a new contract with Bournemouth until 2029. He draws inspiration from Lionel Messi, who at 38 (turning 39 this month) continues to play at a high level. "In England, I see players getting better with age, some pushing for the high-30s and still producing unbelievable performances," Christie noted.

Head coach Steve Clarke has emphasized the importance of both starters and finishers, with influential players coming off the bench. Christie is unfazed by his role: "I honestly don't mind. The manager makes everybody realise every single person in the squad will be needed at some point. Everybody has a massive part to play."

On Friday in Boston, Scotland need at least a point against Morocco to virtually guarantee a place in the knockout rounds. One stellar 90-minute performance could make them history-makers. "It's a dream come true to even play in a World Cup, but you have to quickly adjust your targets," Christie added. "The manager has kept the foot to the floor." Morocco awaits – the greatest test of his football life.