Craig Gordon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Craig Gordon

Gordon with Celtic in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Craig Sinclair Gordon
Date of birth	(1982-12-31) 31 December 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Heart of Midlothian
Number	1
Youth career
	Currie Boys
2000–2003	Heart of Midlothian
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2007	Heart of Midlothian	139	(0)
2001–2002	→ Cowdenbeath (loan)	12	(0)
2007–2012	Sunderland	88	(0)
2014–2020	Celtic	147	(0)
2020–	Heart of Midlothian	114	(0)
International career‡
2002–2003	Scotland U21	5	(0)
2003–2005	Scotland B	2	(0)
2004–	Scotland	81	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 March 2025

Craig Sinclair Gordon, born on December 31, 1982, is a Scottish professional footballer. He plays as a goalkeeper for Heart of Midlothian and the Scotland national team.

Gordon began his football journey with Currie Boys before joining the youth team at Heart of Midlothian. He spent some time on loan at Cowdenbeath in 2001–02. From 2003 to 2007, he became the main goalkeeper for Hearts, helping them win the Scottish Cup in 2005–06. In 2007, the English Premier League club Sunderland bought him for £9 million, which was a record fee for a goalkeeper in Britain at the time.

During his time at Sunderland, Gordon faced several serious injuries and left the club in 2012. After two years away from the game, he joined Celtic in July 2014. With Celtic, he won many trophies, including five Scottish league titles, two Scottish Cups, and four Scottish League Cups. He was part of teams that won the "domestic treble" (all three main domestic trophies) in 2016–17, 2017–18, and 2018–19. In June 2020, he left Celtic and returned to Hearts.

Gordon was the main goalkeeper for the Scotland national football team from 2004 to 2010. Injuries then kept him from playing for Scotland, but he returned to the national team in 2014. He joined the Scottish FA International Roll of Honour in 2017 after playing his 50th international match for Scotland. In June 2024, he became the oldest footballer to ever play for Scotland.

Gordon has been named the SFWA Footballer of the Year three times: in 2006, 2015, and 2022. He also won the SPL and SFWA Young Player of the Year awards in 2004.

Club Career Highlights

Starting Out in Football

Craig Gordon was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He went to Balerno Community High School. His father, David Gordon, was also a goalkeeper for local clubs. Craig often watched his dad play. Craig started his own career as a goalkeeper at Currie Boys Football Club. He then joined the youth program at Heart of Midlothian (Hearts).

He won the Scottish Youth Cup in 1999–2000, with Hearts beating Rangers 5–3. He also won the SPL Under-18 League in 2000–01. Both wins were under the coach John McGlynn.

Loan to Cowdenbeath

In 2001, Gordon was loaned to Cowdenbeath, a club in a lower league. He still trained with Hearts but also spent two nights a week training with Cowdenbeath. His first professional game was against Stirling Albion. He played 13 games before Hearts called him back. Cowdenbeath did not lose any home games while he was there. He was praised for a great performance against Queen of the South, where he made many saves.

Playing for Heart of Midlothian

Gordon with Heart of Midlothian in 2006

Gordon played his first game for Hearts on October 6, 2002, in a 1–1 draw with Livingston. In the 2003–04 season, he became Hearts' main goalkeeper. He played in 29 league games. He also played his first European game on November 6, 2003, in the UEFA Cup against Bordeaux in France. Hearts won 1–0, and Gordon kept a clean sheet.

His good performances led to him being nominated for the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award. He won the SFWA Young Player of the Year and SPL Young Player of the Year awards for 2003–04. His manager, Craig Levein, said Gordon had a "brilliant" season. In August 2004, Gordon signed a new three-year contract with Hearts.

In the 2004–05 season, Hearts finished third in the league, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup. They reached the group stages after beating Braga. Hearts also made it to the semi-finals of both the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup that season.

By 2005, Gordon was a regular player for the Scotland national football team. In the 2005–06 season, his strong performances helped Hearts finish second in the Scottish Premier League and win the Scottish Cup. They won the cup in a penalty shootout against Gretna, with Gordon saving a penalty. Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov turned down an offer from an Italian club for Gordon that season. Gordon was voted Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year, becoming the first Hearts player to win it since 1986.

During the 2006–07 season, there were many rumors that Gordon would leave Hearts. He was involved in a statement with other players about "significant unrest" at the club. Big clubs like Rangers, Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Manchester United were interested in him. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger watched Gordon play for Scotland against France and said he looked like a "very good goalkeeper." Gordon became Hearts' new captain in November 2006.

In March 2007, Gordon said he would be interested in playing for Arsenal. Hearts did not qualify for European competitions that season, which increased talk of him being sold. His last game for Hearts before leaving was a friendly match against Barcelona on July 28, 2007. On November 8, 2007, Gordon was added to the Hearts Hall of Fame, being the youngest player to receive this honor at 24 years old.

Time at Sunderland

Gordon (blue shirt) playing for Sunderland in 2008

In August 2007, Gordon signed a five-year contract with Sunderland. The £9 million fee was the highest a British club had paid for a goalkeeper at that time. Gordon played his first game for Sunderland in the opening match of the 2007–08 Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur. He kept a clean sheet, and Sunderland won 1–0.

After a big loss to Everton in December, Sunderland's manager Roy Keane put Gordon on the bench for a few games. But Gordon soon became the main goalkeeper again. In the 2008–09 season, Gordon was out for several months with a knee injury. On November 7, 2009, he broke his arm after colliding with Jermain Defoe and was out for almost three months.

In the summer of 2010, Gordon had surgery on his broken arm. He fractured it again during training and missed the start of the 2010–11 season. When he returned, Simon Mignolet was the first-choice goalkeeper. On November 9, 2010, Gordon played his first game of the season against Tottenham Hotspur. He also played well in Sunderland's 3–0 win over Chelsea. On December 18, 2010, Gordon made an amazing save against Zat Knight in a 1–0 win over Bolton Wanderers. In 2012, this save was voted the best save in the 20-year history of the Premier League.

More injuries followed, including a knee tendon problem. On April 19, 2011, it was announced that Gordon had knee surgery. Sunderland signed a new goalkeeper, Keiren Westwood, which made Gordon's future uncertain. He returned to play for Sunderland's reserve team in January 2012. He played one first-team game on April 28 against Bolton Wanderers. On May 19, 2012, Sunderland released him from his contract.

Time Away from Playing

Gordon was linked with a move to Celtic in 2011 and 2012, but he did not sign with any club for two years because of his knee injuries. During this time, he often worked on television. He also did some coaching for Dumbarton. Gordon said it was unlikely he would play in 2012–13 and that he was thinking about becoming a coach. He trained with Rangers in 2013–14 but was not offered a contract. In March 2014, Gordon announced he had fully recovered and wanted to play again. In June, Celtic confirmed they were talking to him about signing.

Joining Celtic

2014–15 Season

Gordon playing for Celtic in 2018

In July 2014, Gordon signed for Celtic. He played his first game for Celtic on July 19 in a friendly match against Dynamo Dresden. He made several saves in his 45 minutes of play. When Fraser Forster left Celtic in August, Gordon became the main goalkeeper. He played his first competitive game in over two years on August 13, 2014, a 3–0 win against St Johnstone.

After only three games for Celtic, Gordon's great start earned him a recall to the Scotland team in August 2014. He continued to play well for Celtic in both domestic and European games, especially against Salzburg, Dinamo Zagreb, and Astra Giurgiu. His performances helped Celtic reach the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League. Many people believed he was fully recovered from his injuries and back to his best.

Gordon kept eight clean sheets in a row between December and February. He won his first trophy with Celtic when they beat Dundee United 2–0 in the Scottish League Cup Final on March 15, 2015. He did not let in any goals in the entire competition. He also played in the first Old Firm game in three years. Gordon played his 50th game for Celtic in a 2–1 league win at Dundee on April 22, 2015. Celtic became league champions on May 2, 2015. It was his first league title. Gordon played 52 games and kept 28 clean sheets in his first season at Celtic.

He was voted Player of the Year by the Scottish Football Writers' Association. He was also chosen for the PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year.

2015–16 Season

For the 2015–16 season, Gordon was given the number 1 shirt. In July 2015, he signed a new contract with Celtic until 2018. His first match of the season was a 2–0 win against Stjarnan in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round. Celtic won 6–1 overall. He kept his 30th clean sheet for Celtic in his 55th game, a 1–0 win against Qarabağ.

2016–17 Season

Gordon saved a penalty in a 2–0 loss to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the UEFA Champions League play-off round. Celtic still went through to the group stage 5–4 on total goals. He played his first game in the UEFA Champions League group stage in a 3–3 home draw with Manchester City on September 28, 2016.

Gordon won his second League Cup with Celtic without letting in any goals in the competition. Celtic beat Aberdeen 3–0 in the final on November 28, 2016, winning their 100th major trophy. He kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 win against St Johnstone on January 25, 2017. This meant Celtic equaled a 50-year-old club record of 26 matches unbeaten in a domestic season. Four days later, Gordon kept another clean sheet against Hearts, as Celtic broke the unbeaten record.

Premier League club Chelsea tried to sign Gordon in January 2017, but Celtic said no. In March 2017, Gordon signed a new contract with Celtic until 2020. He kept another clean sheet against Hearts in a 5–0 win on April 2, 2017. This win meant Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title for the sixth year in a row, with eight games left. The team also broke a 100-year-old club record for an unbeaten start to a domestic season, reaching 37 matches without a loss.

Gordon was also in goal for Celtic's 5–1 league win at Rangers on April 29, 2017. This was Celtic's biggest win at Ibrox since 1897. On May 21, 2017, he kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 home win over Hearts in the final league match. This meant Celtic completed the 38-match league season without losing a single game, which was the first time this had happened in the Scottish league since 1898–99. He also won the Scottish Cup after playing in the 2–1 final win against Aberdeen on May 27, 2017. This completed the "domestic treble" for Celtic, and they finished the season without losing any of their 47 domestic matches.

Celtic had the most clean sheets in the SPFL with 19. They also had the joint best record for fewest goals conceded with 25.

Later Years at Celtic

Celtic continued their success, winning domestic trebles again in 2017–18 and 2018–19. This meant they won all three main domestic competitions for three years in a row, a special achievement known as the "treble treble." Gordon played regularly during this time. However, he sometimes made mistakes in big European games. In the 2019–20 season, he lost his starting spot to Fraser Forster, who returned to Celtic on loan. Gordon only played six first-team games that season. He decided to leave Celtic in June 2020, even though he was offered a new contract, because he wanted to play more often.

Coming Back to Heart of Midlothian

After leaving Celtic, Gordon signed a two-year contract with Heart of Midlothian in June 2020. He had a strong start in his second time with Hearts. He helped them reach the 2020 Scottish Cup Final by making important saves against Hibs in the semi-final. Against Ayr United, Gordon was the team captain for his 200th game for the club. He became the 75th Hearts player to reach this milestone. A 3–0 win marked his 66th clean sheet for Hearts. He ended the season with eight clean sheets in a row.

Before the 2021–22 season, Gordon became the Hearts club captain after Steven Naismith retired. He signed a new contract in December 2021, which will keep him at the club until 2024. In November 2021, he broke the record for most international appearances made while playing for Hearts. Gordon was nominated for PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year for the first time in 2021–22 and was again named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year. The SFWA voted him their SFWA Footballer of the Year for a record third time.

On December 24, 2022, Gordon suffered a serious leg injury during a Scottish Premiership match against Dundee United. Hearts confirmed two days later that he had a double leg break and would miss the rest of the 2022–23 season.

Gordon started training with the Hearts first team again in October 2023. He made his first appearance since his injury on January 20, 2024, against Spartans in the Scottish Cup. This game made him the oldest player to play in a competitive game for Hearts. A month later, he signed a new contract to stay with the club for the 2024–25 season.

He played regularly for Hearts during the 2024–25 season. He set a new club record for appearances in European competitions. After the season ended, and with Derek McInnes becoming the new head coach, Gordon signed another one-year contract with the club. Gordon said he was "determined" for the 2025–26 season to be better than 2024–25, when Hearts finished in the bottom half of the Premiership and changed managers twice.

International Career

Scotland Under-21 Team

Gordon played his first game for the Scotland under-21 team on September 4, 2002. It was a 2–1 win against Israel. He played four more times for the under-21 team over the next year.

Playing for Scotland (2004–2010)

Gordon made his first appearance for the senior Scotland team on May 30, 2004, in a 4–1 win against Trinidad and Tobago. He became Scotland's main goalkeeper during the qualifying campaign for the 2006 World Cup. He played in all ten of Scotland's qualifying matches.

BBC football expert Allan Preston said Gordon could become a great Scottish player, calling him "one of the best goalkeepers in Europe." After a 1–1 draw against Italy, the Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon praised Gordon, saying he could be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Gordon kept clean sheets when Scotland won 1–0 twice against France in UEFA Euro 2008 qualification. He also helped set up a goal against France. By November 2010, Gordon had played 40 games for Scotland, but his injuries stopped him from playing for the national team for the next four years.

Return to the National Team (2014–2017)

After his comeback with Celtic, Gordon was called back to the Scotland squad in September 2014 for a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Germany. He played his 41st game for Scotland, ending a four-year break from international football, when he came on as a substitute in a friendly loss to England on November 18, 2014. Gordon started his first competitive Scotland match in almost five years in a 2018 World Cup qualifier against England in November 2016. He kept his place for the 1–0 win against Slovenia in March 2017. On October 5, 2017, Gordon played his 50th game for Scotland against Slovakia, joining Scotland's Roll of Honour.

Under Steve Clarke (2020–Present)

Scotland manager Steve Clarke did not pick Gordon for his first year in charge because Gordon was not playing regularly for Celtic. After a good start back at Hearts, Gordon was called up to the national squad in November 2020. This included the win against Serbia in the UEFA Nations League play-off final, which meant Scotland qualified for UEFA Euro 2020. This was the Scotland men's team's first major tournament in 23 years. He also earned his 55th cap, setting a new record for the longest international career for a Scottish player (16 years, 5 months, and 17 days).

Gordon was chosen for the Scotland squad for Euro 2020, but he did not play in any of Scotland's three matches. Gordon became the first-choice goalkeeper again in September 2021. In November 2021, he saved a penalty in a 2–0 win against Moldova, which secured a spot in the World Cup qualifying playoffs. His teammate Callum McGregor said Gordon was "like Peter Pan" because of how long he had been playing well.

Gordon was nominated for SFWA International Player of the Year in 2021–22, an award he had won before in 2009–10.

On June 14, 2022, he played his 70th game for Scotland in a 4–1 Nations League win over Armenia. He became only the seventh player in history to reach 70 caps for the Scottish men's team. In his 73rd game against Ukraine, Gordon kept his 30th clean sheet, which helped Scotland get promoted to Group A of the UEFA Nations League. Gordon missed all of UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying due to his broken leg in December 2022, but Scotland still qualified. In February 2024, he said he wanted to become Scotland's oldest player, a record held by David Weir. He was called back to the international squad a month later. Gordon broke that record on June 7, 2024, when he played as a substitute in a friendly against Finland. However, he was not chosen for the final squad for UEFA Euro 2024.

He kept two clean sheets in a row in the Nations League in October and November 2024. Scotland drew 0-0 with Portugal and beat Croatia 1-0. This was followed by a 2-1 win over Poland on November 18, 2024. In that game, Gordon became the third oldest player to compete in European competition at 41 years and 322 days old.

On March 20, 2025, Gordon played his 80th game for Scotland against Greece in the Nations League. He joined Kenny Dalglish, Jim Leighton, Darren Fletcher, and Andrew Robertson as the only players to reach 80 caps.

Personal Life

Craig Gordon has four children. He has two daughters, Freya and Emma, with his former wife Jennifer. He also has two sons, Ace Harlow (born 2021) and Axel (born 2022), with his partner Summer Harl. Axel was born on the morning of a Scotland international match that his father played in.

Career Statistics Summary

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Awards and Honours

Hearts Academy

• Scottish U-18 Premier League: 2000–01
• Scottish Youth Cup: 1999–2000

Heart of Midlothian

• Scottish Cup: 2005–06
• Scottish Championship: 2020–21

Celtic

• Scottish Premiership: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• Scottish Cup: 2016–17, 2017–18
• Scottish League Cup: 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20

Individual Awards

• SFWA Footballer of the Year: 2005–06, 2014–15, 2021–22
• SPFL Premiership Player of the Year: 2021–22
• SFWA Young Player of the Year: 2003–04
• SPL Young Player of the Year: 2003–04
• SFWA International Player of the Year: 2009–10
• Heart of Midlothian Hall of Fame: 2007
• Hearts Supporters Player of the Year: 2021–22
• Hearts Players' Player of the Year: 2021–22
• PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year: 2014–15, 2021–22
• Scotland national football team roll of honour inductee: 2017
• SPL Young Player of the Month: December 2003

See also

In Spanish: Craig Gordon para niños