Stuart Armstrong facts for kids
Armstrong with Scotland in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stuart Armstrong | ||
| Date of birth | 30 March 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Inverness, Scotland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2008 | Dyce Boys Club | ||
| 2008–2009 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | ||
| 2009–2010 | Dundee United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2015 | Dundee United | 126 | (18) |
| 2015–2018 | Celtic | 98 | (23) |
| 2018–2024 | Southampton | 191 | (21) |
| 2024 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 6 | (1) |
| 2025 | Sheffield Wednesday | 11 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010–2011 | Scotland U19 | 7 | (2) |
| 2010–2014 | Scotland U21 | 20 | (4) |
| 2017– | Scotland | 51 | (5) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:08, 26 April 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:12, 26 June 2024 (UTC) |
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Stuart Armstrong (born on March 30, 1992) is a Scottish professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder and most recently played for Sheffield Wednesday. He also plays for the Scotland national team.
Armstrong started his professional journey with Dundee United in 2010. He played nearly 150 games for them. In February 2015, he moved to Celtic. There, he helped the team win four Scottish league titles and two domestic "trebles" (winning three major trophies in one season). He then joined Premier League club Southampton in June 2018.
Stuart Armstrong has played for Scotland at different age levels, including under-19 and under-21. He made his debut for the senior national team in 2017. He also represented Scotland at the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. He has won several awards, including the SFWA Young Player of the Year in 2013. He was also named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year three times.
Contents
Stuart Armstrong's Football Journey
Early Life and Youth Career
Stuart Armstrong was born in Inverness, Scotland. He grew up in Aberdeen and went to Hazlehead Academy. As a young boy, he looked up to famous footballer Gianfranco Zola.
Armstrong played for youth teams like Dyce Boys Club and Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He then signed his first professional contract with Dundee United in July 2009.
Playing for Dundee United
Armstrong made his first team debut for Dundee United in November 2010. He came on as a substitute in a match against Hamilton Academical. His manager, Peter Houston, praised his efforts as a substitute.
He scored his first goal for the club in December 2011, in a 2–2 draw against St Mirren. He felt much more confident after scoring his first proper goal.
In September 2012, Armstrong signed a new three-year contract with Dundee United. He signed another new contract just a month later. He scored his first goal of the 2012–13 season in November, helping his team win 2–1 against Ross County.
Because of his great performances in February, he won the Clydesdale Bank Premier League Young Player of the Month award. He was also nominated for the SPFA Young Player of the Year award. Although he didn't win that one, he did win the SFWA Young Player of the Year award.
In December 2013, Armstrong signed another contract extension with Dundee United. He shared that he hoped to play in England someday. However, he was happy to stay at United and become a stronger player first. He was nominated for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award again in April 2014. He was also chosen for the 2013–14 Premiership PFA Scotland Team of the Year.
His last game for Dundee United was in January 2015. He played in a semi-final match against Aberdeen in the Scottish League Cup. Overall, Armstrong played 150 games for Dundee United and scored 22 goals.
Time at Celtic
In February 2015, Stuart Armstrong moved to Celtic, along with his teammate Gary Mackay-Steven. Armstrong said he did not ask for the transfer himself. The two players were nicknamed "Zig and Zag" by the staff at Celtic.
Armstrong scored a goal in his very first game for Celtic. This was a 3–0 league win against Partick Thistle in February 2015. He also played his first game at Celtic Park and in a European competition in February 2015. This was a 3–3 draw with Inter Milan in the UEFA Europa League.
In the 2015–16 season, Armstrong helped Celtic win 2–0 against Stjarnan in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round. He scored his first goals of that season in August, with two goals in a 4–2 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
During the 2016–17 season, Armstrong scored 17 goals. Celtic had a fantastic season, winning a domestic treble (three major trophies). Celtic won another domestic treble in the 2017–18 season. However, Armstrong's season was affected by injuries. In June 2018, Celtic agreed to transfer Armstrong to Premier League club Southampton.
Moving to Southampton
Stuart Armstrong signed a four-year contract with Southampton in June 2018. He wanted to start strong at his new club. He made his debut for Southampton in August 2018, in a 0–0 draw against Burnley in the Premier League. In November 2018, he said he was enjoying playing in England. He scored his first two goals for Southampton in November 2018, in a 3–2 loss to Fulham.
In August 2019, Armstrong made his first league appearance of the 2019–20 season. He came on as a substitute in a 2–1 loss to Liverpool. He scored his first goal of that season in January 2020, helping Southampton win 2–1 against Leicester City.
The Premier League was paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Armstrong and Southampton did not play again until June 2020. When they returned, Armstrong scored in a 3–0 victory against Norwich.
On January 1, 2021, it was announced that Armstrong signed a new contract with Southampton. This contract would keep him at the club until the summer of 2024.
In February 2022, Armstrong scored a goal in a 2–1 FA Cup win against Coventry City. This goal was voted the best goal of that round. His first league goal of the 2021–22 season came in February 2022, in a 2–0 win against Everton.
He scored his first goal of the 2022–23 season in October 2022, in a 1–1 draw with Arsenal. His only other goal that season was in April 2023, in a 3–1 loss to Newcastle United.
Armstrong's first game of the 2023–24 season was in August 2023, a 2–1 win against Sheffield Wednesday. He scored his first goal of that season in October 2023, in a 1–0 win against Stoke City. In April 2024, he got an injury during a game against Cardiff City. This injury meant he couldn't play for the rest of the season. Armstrong left Southampton at the end of the 2023–24 season.
Playing for Vancouver Whitecaps
On September 3, 2024, Armstrong joined MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps. He signed a two-year contract. He played his first game for the Whitecaps in a 0–0 draw with FC Dallas in September. A week later, he scored his first goal for the team in a 2–0 win against San Jose Earthquakes.
Return to England with Sheffield Wednesday
On January 31, 2025, Armstrong returned to England. He joined Sheffield Wednesday. He made his debut the next day, coming on as a substitute against Luton Town. He was released from his contract after the 2024–25 season ended.
International Career for Scotland
Stuart Armstrong played for Scotland's national teams at the under-19 and under-21 levels. In May 2013, he was called up to the senior team for the first time. He was called up again in August 2015 and March 2017.
He made his full international debut on March 26, 2017. Scotland won 1–0 against Slovenia. The national team manager, Gordon Strachan, said it was "the best Scotland debut I have ever seen." In September 2017, he missed two World Cup qualifying games because of an injury.
In October 2020, he had to withdraw from the Scotland squad. This was for a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying play-off game against Israel. He had tested positive for COVID-19.
In May 2021, he was chosen for Scotland's squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. He played in all three of Scotland's group matches. He started against Czechia and Croatia. He came on as a substitute against England.
On March 26, 2024, Armstrong played his 50th game for Scotland. This was in a friendly match against Northern Ireland.
On June 7, 2024, Armstrong was named in Scotland's squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 finals in Germany. He played one game in the tournament, coming on as a substitute against Hungary. Scotland finished last in their group with one point.
Personal Life
In 2014, Stuart Armstrong was studying for a law degree. He was taking courses through the Open University in his free time.
Career Achievements
Celtic
- Scottish Premiership: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
- Scottish Cup: 2016–17, 2017–18
- Scottish League Cup: 2016–17, 2017–18
Vancouver Whitecaps
- Canadian Championship: 2024
Individual Awards
- Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month: February 2013
- SFWA Young Player of the Year: 2012–13
- PFA Scotland Team of the Year (Scottish Premiership): 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17
Images for kids
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Armstrong training with Dundee United in 2012
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Armstrong playing for Celtic in 2017
See also
In Spanish: Stuart Armstrong para niños
