Craig Gordon has declared his retirement from professional football, concluding a distinguished 25-year career. The 43-year-old goalkeeper recently finished his second stint at Heart of Midlothian and was a member of the Scotland squad that traveled to the World Cup.
Gordon began his professional journey at Tynecastle before moving to Sunderland in 2007 for a then-record £9 million fee for a goalkeeper. During his time in England, he famously produced a legendary save against Bolton Wanderers’ Zat Knight in 2010. Despite suffering a knee injury that hindered his progress at the Stadium of Light and led to a two-year hiatus, he successfully returned to the sport.
In 2014, he signed with Celtic, where he secured five league titles during a six-year period before heading back to Hearts. Even after sustaining a double leg break in 2022, the veteran athlete managed to rehabilitate and return to the pitch. Over his career, Gordon earned 84 caps for Scotland and featured in 766 first-team matches, which includes an early loan spell at Cowdenbeath.
His trophy cabinet is extensive, featuring Scottish Premiership titles, multiple Scottish Cup victories, and League Cup successes. Known for his consistency, Gordon kept 30 international clean sheets and maintained a high rate of shutouts throughout his club career. He is scheduled to receive a final tribute from Hearts fans during a friendly match against Rayo Vallecano at Tynecastle this Friday.
