James Wilson (footballer, born 2007)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 March 2007 | ||
| Place of birth | Scotland | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Heart of Midlothian | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2024 | Heart of Midlothian | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024– | Heart of Midlothian | 24 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Northern Ireland U17[1] | 1 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Scotland U16[2] | 7 | (3) |
| 2023 | Scotland U17[3] | 4 | (2) |
| 2024– | Scotland U19[2] | 1 | (0) |
| 2025– | Scotland[2] | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 October 2024 | |||
James Wilson (born 6 March 2007) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian and the Scotland national team.[4]
Personal life
[edit]Wilson grew up in Linlithgow[citation needed] and attended Balerno High School in Edinburgh.[5] His twin brothers Alfie and Stanley also developed at the Hearts academy,[6] and have appeared for the club's B-team in the Lowland League in 2025.[7]
Club career
[edit]Wilson signed a first professional contract with Heart of Midlothian in the summer of 2023.[8] He broke through into first team during the 2023-24 season, making three appearances as a substitute, whilst also playing for the Hearts B-team in the Lowland League.[9] He made his professional debut as a 16-year-old in the Scottish Cup on 20 January 2024 in a 2–1 away win against The Spartans.[8][10][11] He then made his Scottish Premiership debut against Dundee in May 2024.[12]
He scored his first league goal for Hearts in October 2024 in a 4–0 win over St Mirren;[13] the following week he made headlines with a late equaliser in the Edinburgh derby against Hibernian on 27 October 2024, which finished 1–1.[14][15]
On 19 December 2024, in a UEFA Conference League game against Petrocub Hîncești, Wilson became the youngest goalscorer in the competition's four-year history, and the all-time youngest scorer for Hearts in any European fixture,[16] at the age of 17 years and 288 days.[17] He subsequently signed a contract extension until the summer of 2026.[18] He was sent off for the first time on 6 April 2025, for a late sliding tackle on Luca Stephenson of Dundee United.[19][20]
International career
[edit]Having come on as a substitute against the Faroe Islands for the Northern Ireland under-17s in 2022[21] (being eligible at that stage, as well as for England and the Republic of Ireland, through his parents),[1] Wilson went on to captain Scotland at under-16 and under-17 levels.[8]
In March 2025 he received his first call up for the senior Scotland squad for the UEFA Nations League play-off against Greece;[22] He made his full international debut in the second leg of the tie, becoming the youngest man to play for Scotland at the age of 18 years, 17 days (surpassing the record set by John Lambie which had stood for 138 years).[23][24][1]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 12 May 2025[25]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Heart of Midlothian | 2023–24[26] | Scottish Premiership | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2024–25[27] | Scottish Premiership | 22 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 6 | |
| Total | 24 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 24 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 6 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Anderson, Barry (3 April 2025). "James Wilson reveals Northern Ireland cap call, his Scotland future and Hearts' European aim". Edinburgh Evening News.
- ^ a b c "James Wilson | Scotland | Scottish FA". www.scottishfa.co.uk.
- ^ "James Wilson | Scotland | Scottish FA". www.scottishfa.co.uk.
- ^ "James Wilson". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ "'I'm getting stopped at school for selfies'". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 16 January 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ "Hearts produce two more Wilsons: The twins following older brother James with club and country". Edinburgh Evening News. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ "Hearts B suffer Tranent defeat: Wilson twins debut, new captain, deserving loss". Hearts Standard. 2025-03-16. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
- ^ a b c Anderson, Barry (22 January 2024). "Exclusive: James Wilson's Hearts debut fires ambition after Rangers, Celtic, Man Utd and Leeds interest". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ Anderson, Barry (23 July 2024). "Exclusive: Hearts forward James Wilson talks FIFA, feeling bloated and gaining weight". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ Mcdonald, Ryan (9 July 2024). "James Wilson targets Hearts breakthrough season after snubbing Manchester United interest". Football Scotland. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ "SPARTANS VS. HEARTS 1 - 2". Soccerway. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ "Naismith tips Wilson for bright future at Hearts". BBC Sport. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ "Hearts 4 St Mirren 0: Neil Critchley enjoys dream start". Herald Scotland. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ Anderson, Barry (27 October 2024). "Hearts report and player ratings v Hibs: Teenage wonder Wilson, Critchley's run, quality questions at ER". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ "He saves the derby for Hearts | James Wilson scrambles home dramatic late equaliser". Sky Sports. 27 October 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
- ^ "James Wilson's Hearts rise hints at EPL talent at Liverpool and Man Utd level". Edinburgh Evening News. 23 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "The Hearts and Conference League history made by Hearts star". Hearts Standard. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Wilson Extends Contract". heartsfc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian F.C. 21 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Dundee United took a significant step towards a top-five Scottish Premiership finish and reignited their hopes of finishing third with victory over 10-man Hearts". BBC Sport. 6 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ "The Scottish FA rule on James Wilson's Hearts red card - and the games he will miss after Dundee United loss". Edinburgh Evening News. 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ NI U17s defeated at Nordic Cup, Irish Football Association, 8 August 2022
- ^ "Scotland squad named for Greece double-header". www.scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-03-11.
- ^ "Scotland 0-3 Greece (agg 1-3): Key stats". BBC Sport. 24 March 2025. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ "Wilson becomes youngest Scotland men's international". BBC Sport. 24 March 2025. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
- ^ James Wilson at Soccerbase
- ^ "Games played by James Wilson in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "Games played by James Wilson in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- Living people
- 2007 births
- Scottish men's footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Scottish Professional Football League players
- Heart of Midlothian F.C. players
- Scotland men's youth international footballers
- 21st-century Scottish sportsmen
- People educated at Balerno Community High School
- Scotland men's international footballers
- Northern Ireland men's youth international footballers
- Scottish people of Northern Ireland descent
- Scottish people of Irish descent
- Scottish people of English descent