Paul Gascoigne

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born and raised in Gateshead, Gascoigne signed schoolboy terms with Newcastle United before turning professional with the club in 1984. Three years later, he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £2.2 million. He won the FA Cup with Spurs in 1991 before being sold to Italian club Lazio for £5.5 million. In 1995, he was transferred to Rangers for £4.3 million and helped the club to two league titles, a Scottish Cup and a Scottish League Cup. He returned to England in a £3.4 million move to Middlesbrough in 1998. He debuted in the Premier League in the 1998–99 season, having already featured in the 1998 Football League Cup final. He switched to Everton in 2000 and later had spells with Burnley, Gansu Tianma and Boston United.

In Their Own Story

Under the bright May sun at Wembley in 1991, Gazza collected the ball near the edge of the box. With a first-time volley that defied logic, he sent it soaring into the net against Nottingham Forest. The roar from the away end was deafening as he sprinted toward his teammates, eyes wide with disbelief and joy. It wasn't just a goal; it was a statement. In that moment, White Hart Lane felt like the center of the footballing universe, anchored by a player who played with the reckless abandon of a child and the skill of a master.

Reader's Guide

Gascoigne represented the England national team from 1988 to 1998, in which he was capped 57 times and scored ten goals. He was part of the England team that reached fourth place in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, where he famously cried after receiving a yellow card in the semi-final with West Germany, which meant he would have been suspended for the final had England won the game. He also helped the team to the semi-finals of Euro 96, which included scoring a goal against Scotland, described in 2013 as "one of the most iconic goals in the game's recent history". He has been involved in a number of high-profile goal celebrations at both club and international level, including the "dentist's chair" celebration from Euro 96, and mimicking playing the flute with Rangers in 1998, a reference to the Protestant Orange Order.

Did You Know?

• Gascoigne's transfer to Tottenham Hotspur in 1988 was for a British record fee of £2.2 million.
• He won the FA Cup with Tottenham Hotspur in 1991.
• Gascoigne scored a goal against Scotland at Euro 96 that was later described as 'one of the most iconic goals in the game's recent history'.
• He was named PFA Young Player of the Year for the 1987–88 season.