Craig Gordon, the goalkeeper of the Scottish national football team, announced his retirement from the game on Thursday, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious career spanning more than 25 years. Gordon said in a video clip published on his official social media accounts: 'I never wanted this journey to end, but everything ends. I lived my dreams, and I am very grateful for that.' Gordon, 43, played 682 matches for Hearts, the team where he progressed through the youth ranks, in addition to defending the colors of Cowdenbeath, Sunderland, and Celtic, and represented Scotland in 84 international matches. Gordon was part of the Scotland squad that participated in the 2026 World Cup, becoming the oldest player in the tournament, although he did not play any matches and only served as backup goalkeeper to Angus Gunn. Gordon graduated from the Hearts youth academy and made his first-team debut during a loan spell at Cowdenbeath in 2001, before establishing himself in the Hearts side from the following season. In 2007, the Scottish goalkeeper moved to English side Sunderland for a transfer fee of $12.16 million, a record for a goalkeeper at the time, but injuries affected his career, and he managed only 95 appearances in five seasons with the club. Gordon returned to Scotland in 2014 to join Celtic, enjoying one of the most successful periods of his career. Over six seasons in Glasgow, he won five Scottish Premier League titles, two Scottish Cups, and five Scottish League Cups, before returning to Hearts in 2020 to end his career with his boyhood club.