Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon announces retirement after 25-year career

End of an era

Craig Gordon, the veteran Scottish goalkeeper, has announced his retirement from professional football, bringing down the curtain on a 25-year playing career. The 43-year-old ended his second stint at boyhood club Heart of Midlothian this summer and was part of Scotland's squad for a World Cup tournament.

Gordon first left Hearts for Sunderland in 2007, with the Black Cats paying a then-British record fee for a goalkeeper of £9 million. During his time at the Stadium of Light, he produced one of the most memorable saves in Premier League history, denying Bolton Wanderers' Zat Knight from close range in 2010.

Injuries hampered his Sunderland spell. After five years, a serious knee problem forced him to spend two years out of the game, focusing on rehabilitation and coaching.

A comeback with Celtic followed in 2014, where he won his first league title and added four more during a trophy-laden six-year spell. He then returned to his first club Hearts. In 2022, he suffered a double leg break, yet the veteran goalkeeper fought back to return to playing once more before announcing his retirement.