Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon announces retirement after 25-year career

[p]The 43-year-old made 682 appearances for boyhood ‌club [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hearts/0rGrwwNc/"]Hearts[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cowdenbeath/xSVobYD8/"]Cowdenbeath[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sunderland/WSzc94ws/"]Sunderland[/a] ‌and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/celtic/QFKRRD8M/"]Celtic[/a] and won 84 caps for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]‌Scotland[/a].[/p][p][b]"I've never wanted it to end, ‌but end it must. I have lived my dreams and for that I am ‌so thankful,"[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gordon-craig/6ZbYTgJO/"]Gordon[/a] said in ⁠a video ‌announcing his decision on social media.[/p][p]He was part ​of Scotland's squad for the 2026 World Cup and was the ​oldest player at the tournament, although he did not play in any ⁠matches, acting as ​backup to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gunn-angus/zaREt4aJ/"]Angus Gunn[/a].[/p][embed guid="45026861-2e88-47de-825d-b10f2be4e601" url="https://x.com/JamTarts/status/2077680688946384911" social-type="twitter" /][p]A product of the Hearts' youth academy, Gordon made his senior debut while on loan at ‌Cowdenbeath in 2001 before breaking into Hearts' first team the following season.[/p][p]In 2007, he joined Premier League side Sunderland for a reported 9 million pounds ($12.16 million), a British record fee for a goalkeeper at the time. Injuries hampered his spell at the Stadium of ‌Light, as he made 95 appearances ​over five years.[/p][p]Gordon returned to Scotland ‌with Celtic in 2014. During six trophy-laden seasons in Glasgow, he won five Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and five League Cups before ⁠rejoining Hearts ⁠in 2020.[/p]