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Matthew Craig
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Matthew George Craig (born 16 April 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. Born in England, he is a youth international for Scotland.
Key Information
Background
[edit]Craig and his older identical twin brother Michael were born two minutes apart on 16 March 2003. Both of their grandfathers hail from Scotland including Aberdeen born Ron Still who top scored for Notts County one season and also played for Brentford, both in the mid-1960s.[2]
Career
[edit]Craig is a youth product of Watford who moved to the academy of Tottenham Hotspur with his brother at the age of 12.[3] On 5 May 2021, he signed a professional contract with Spurs keeping him until 2023.[4] He made his senior and professional debut with Tottenham Hotspur as a late substitute in a 4–1 Premier League win over Leeds United on 28 May 2023.[5]
On 9 January 2024, Craig joined League Two club Doncaster Rovers on loan until the end of the season.[6]
On 22 July 2024, Craig joined League One club Barnsley on loan until the end of the season.[7]
On 9 January 2025, Craig was recalled from his loan at Barnsley, allowing him to join fellow League One side Mansfield Town on loan for the remainder of the season.[8]
International career
[edit]Born in England, Craig has represented Scotland at age group level. He said of he and his brother's international allegiance, "Both of my grandfathers are Scottish. Obviously, once Scotland came calling, it was a big honour to be selected here. There wasn't a debate".[9]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of 27 April 2025
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur U21 | 2021–22[10] | — | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2022–23[11] | — | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| 2023–24[12] | — | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2022–23[11] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 2023–24[12] | League Two | 18 | 1 | — | — | — | 2[b] | 0 | 20 | 1 | |||
| Barnsley (loan) | 2024–25[13] | League One | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Mansfield Town (loan) | 2024–25[13] | League One | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | |
| Career total | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 2 | ||
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy
- ^ Appearance(s) in the League Two play-offs
References
[edit]- ^ "2022/23 Premier League squad lists". www.premierleague.com. 14 September 2022.
- ^ "Michael and Matthew Craig: Who are the Scottish twins in the Tottenham squad for Paços de Ferreira clash?". The Scotsman. 19 August 2021.
- ^ Freeman, Will (1 November 2022). "Lowdown on Matthew Craig, the 19-year-old midfielder seen in Tottenham training". Football.London.
- ^ Cahill, Sean (5 May 2021). "Tottenham Hotspur sign four academy players to professional contracts". Cartilage Free Captain.
- ^ "Leeds 1-4 Tottenham: Harry Kane nets twice to relegate Leeds from Premier League but Spurs miss out on Europe". Sky Sports.
- ^ "Rovers sign Tottenham midfielder Matthew Craig on loan". www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ "Craig loaned to Barnsley". Tottenham Hotspur. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ "Stags secure Premier League midfielder on loan". www.mansfieldtown.net. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ "Matthew Craig reveals his twin ambitions to make history for Scotland". heraldscotland.com. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Matthew Craig in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Craig in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Craig in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Craig in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
External links
[edit]- Matthew Craig at Soccerway
- Matthew Craig at the Scottish Football Association
Matthew Craig
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Birth and family
Matthew George Craig was born on 16 April 2003 in Barnet, within the London Borough of Barnet, England.[1][7] He is the identical twin brother of Michael Craig, who was born two minutes later on the same day and has also pursued a career as a professional footballer.[1][8] Craig possesses Scottish heritage through both of his grandfathers, who hail from Scotland; one, Ron Still, was born in Aberdeen and played as a centre forward in the Football League for Notts County—where he was the top scorer in the 1965–66 season—and Brentford.[1]Introduction to football
Matthew Craig's early interest in football was profoundly shaped by his family's deep-rooted sporting heritage. Both of his grandfathers originated from Scotland, with his maternal grandfather, Ron Still from Aberdeen, having enjoyed a professional career as a forward for Notts County, where he made 46 appearances and also played for Brentford. His father, David Craig, further instilled a passion for the game by competing at the non-league level for clubs including Cockfosters and Broxbourne Borough. This legacy served as a key motivational factor, encouraging Craig and his identical twin brother Michael to pursue the sport from a young age.[1][9][10] Raised in the London Borough of Barnet, Craig attended Dame Alice Owen's School in Potters Bar, where he won a county cup in football and was a district champion in the 1,500m athletics event.[1] His initial foray into organized football occurred through local youth setups, transitioning from casual play in school and community environments to structured training programs. By his pre-teen years, he had joined the youth academy of Watford, where he began receiving formal coaching and development as a midfielder. This period around age 10 to 12 represented a pivotal shift, honing his skills in a competitive setting before further advancement.[1][7]Club career
Youth career
Matthew Craig began his youth career in the academy of Watford in the early 2010s.[7] He joined Tottenham Hotspur's academy in 2015 at the age of 12, moving from Watford at the under-12 level.[7][8][11] At Tottenham, Craig progressed through the age groups, featuring for the under-18s starting in the 2018/19 season with three appearances.[1] His involvement increased in subsequent years, with nine appearances in 2019/20 and 23 in 2020/21 at that level.[1] He then advanced to the under-21 development squad, making 20 appearances during the 2021/22 season.[1] On 5 May 2021, Craig signed his first professional contract with Tottenham Hotspur, committing to the club until 2023.[12] Prior to his senior debut, Craig trained regularly with the first-team squad and was named as a substitute in UEFA Europa Conference League matches during the 2021/22 season.[1]Tottenham Hotspur
Matthew Craig made his senior debut for Tottenham Hotspur on 28 May 2023, coming on as a late substitute in the 77th minute during a 4–1 Premier League victory away to Leeds United on the final day of the 2022–23 season.[13][14] This appearance marked his only first-team outing for the club to date, with no goals scored across that single match in the 2022–23 campaign.[15] As a defensive midfielder, Craig has faced limited opportunities in Tottenham's first team, primarily due to his youth status and subsequent loan moves to gain experience elsewhere.[7] Prior to his debut, he had been named on the bench for several Premier League fixtures in the latter stages of the 2022–23 season, including matches against Aston Villa on 13 May and Brentford on 20 May, but did not feature further after his introduction against Leeds.[15] No additional senior bench roles or playing time in Premier League matches have been recorded since.[15] Craig signed his first professional contract with Tottenham in May 2021, initially set to run until 2023.[5] In July 2023, shortly after his debut, he agreed to a new deal extending his stay at the club until June 2026, reflecting the team's commitment to his development despite his peripheral role in the senior squad.[5][7]Loan spells
In January 2024, Matthew Craig joined League Two side Doncaster Rovers on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the 2023–24 season, aiming to gain senior professional experience as a defensive midfielder.[14] During his spell, he made 18 league appearances, starting all of them, and scored 1 goal, contributing to a total of 20 appearances across all competitions with 1 goal.[16] Key contributions included providing his first professional assist in the 2–2 draw at Salford City on 13 February 2024, before scoring his maiden senior goal four days later in the 5–1 victory over Grimsby Town on 17 February 2024, curling home from 15 yards in the 72nd minute to extend the lead.[17] His consistent performances helped Doncaster secure a League Two play-off spot through a 10-match winning streak to close the season.[18] Craig's second loan move came in July 2024 to League One club Barnsley on a season-long deal, again focused on building first-team minutes in a higher division to further his development.[19] He featured in 14 league matches without scoring, accumulating 16 total appearances and fewer than 800 minutes played, primarily as a squad player in midfield.[20] The loan was cut short in January 2025 when he was recalled by Tottenham.[21] Recalled from Barnsley, Craig was immediately loaned to League Two's Mansfield Town in January 2025 for the remainder of the 2024–25 season to continue accumulating competitive experience.[1] During his loan spell, he appeared in 5 league games, scoring 1 goal, with a total of 6 appearances and 1 goal overall.[22] His debut goal came on 1 April 2025 in a 1–2 home defeat to Charlton Athletic, where he opened the scoring for Mansfield with a well-taken effort in the first half.[23] Following the conclusion of his loan at Mansfield in May 2025, Craig returned to Tottenham Hotspur's development squad, where he has continued to feature for the U21 side as of November 2025.[7]International career
Eligibility and selection
Matthew Craig, born in Barnet, London, England, holds dual international eligibility for both England, by virtue of his birthplace, and Scotland, through his paternal and maternal grandfathers who hail from Scotland.[1][7][24] Craig opted to represent Scotland, a decision shaped by his family heritage and the opportunity presented by the Scottish Football Association (SFA). In a 2022 interview, he explained, "Both of my grandfathers are Scottish. Obviously, once Scotland came calling, we were always going to go for that," highlighting the pull of his Scottish roots over his English birthplace.[24][25] The SFA first approached Craig for youth international duty around age 16, leading to his initial call-up for the Scotland under-16 team, where he earned 6 caps, and a call-up to the under-17 team, and even captained the side in younger age groups.[1][26][27] This progression continued to the under-19 and under-21 levels, with his under-21 debut occurring in September 2022 during friendlies against Northern Ireland.[27][28] As of November 2025, Craig has not received a senior international cap for Scotland, remaining focused on youth and club commitments.[28][27]Youth internationals
Matthew Craig represented Scotland at various youth international levels, earning a total of 13 caps without scoring any goals. He began his international career with the Scotland under-16 team, where he made 6 appearances between 2018 and 2019, primarily featuring as a defensive midfielder.[29] His debut came in a 1–1 draw against Wales on 12 November 2018, and his appearances included matches in the Victory Shield tournament, a annual competition among home nations, as well as the UEFA European Under-17 Championship development mini-tournament, such as a 1–0 win over Malta on 8 March 2019.[29][30] Craig progressed to the under-19 level in 2021, accumulating another 6 caps in his role as a holding midfielder during UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifying campaigns.[31] Notable matches included a 3–0 victory against Gibraltar on 13 November 2021 and a 1–1 draw with Croatia on 16 November 2021, both in Group 11 qualifiers, alongside a 2–3 defeat to Armenia earlier that year.[31] He occasionally captained the side in these younger age groups, demonstrating leadership in defensive setups.[1] His youth international experience culminated with a single cap for the Scotland under-21 team, earned in a 1–1 friendly draw against Northern Ireland on 25 September 2022.[27] Throughout his youth career, Craig's contributions focused on midfield stability, with no recorded goals or standout individual performances highlighted in official records.[7]Career statistics
Club statistics
Matthew Craig has made a limited number of senior appearances for Tottenham Hotspur and during his loan spells, primarily in the lower tiers of English football.[16] His professional debut came in the Premier League for Tottenham in 2022.[32] The following table summarizes his club appearances and goals by season, focusing on league matches for senior teams and noting total senior appearances including cups:| Season | Club | League (Apps/Goals) | Total Senior Apps/Goals (incl. cups) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League: 1/0 | 1/0 |
| 2023–24 | Doncaster Rovers (loan) | League Two: 18/1 | 20/1 (incl. 2 playoff apps) |
| 2024–25 | Barnsley (loan) | League One: 14/0 | 16/0 (incl. 2 League Cup apps) |
| 2024–25 | Mansfield Town (loan) | League One: 5/1 | 6/1 (incl. 1 FA Cup app) |
| 2025–26 | Tottenham Hotspur U21 | N/A (youth) | 4/0 (U21 apps as of Nov 2025) |
International statistics
Matthew Craig has represented Scotland at youth international levels, accumulating a total of 13 caps across the U16, U19, and U21 teams, with no goals scored.[27] He has not yet earned any senior international appearances.[27] The following table summarizes his youth international statistics:| Youth Level | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| U16 | 6 | 0 |
| U19 | 6 | 0 |
| U21 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 0 |