Craig Gordon announced his retirement this Thursday, bringing an end to a 25-year career as a professional footballer. The 43-year-old Scottish goalkeeper bids farewell to the pitch after being included in Scotland’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, where he was the oldest player in the competition, despite not having played any minutes. “I never wanted this to end, but the time has come. I lived my dreams, and for that, I am deeply grateful,” he stated in an emotional farewell message released by Hearts, the club where he began and ended his career. Trained at the Edinburgh club, Gordon made a historic transfer to Sunderland in 2007 for around 10.5 million euros, a fee that at the time set a British record for a goalkeeper. However, his career was marked by several physical setbacks. A serious knee injury kept him off the pitch for two years before he returned in 2014 to play for Celtic, where he won five Scottish championships. In 2022, he suffered a double fracture in his leg, but once again, he recovered and competed at the highest level. An international for Scotland since 2004, Craig Gordon made 84 appearances for the national team and ends his career with 766 official matches between clubs and the national team.
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