Emile Heskey facts for kids
Heskey playing for England in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey | ||
| Date of birth | 11 January 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Leicester, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Leicester City Women (head of football development) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987–1994 | Leicester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–2000 | Leicester City | 154 | (40) |
| 2000–2004 | Liverpool | 150 | (39) |
| 2004–2006 | Birmingham City | 68 | (14) |
| 2006–2009 | Wigan Athletic | 82 | (15) |
| 2009–2012 | Aston Villa | 92 | (9) |
| 2012–2014 | Newcastle Jets | 42 | (10) |
| 2014–2016 | Bolton Wanderers | 45 | (3) |
| Total | 633 | (130) | |
| International career | |||
| 1994 | England U16 | 4 | (0) |
| 1995–1996 | England U18 | 8 | (5) |
| 1996–2000 | England U21 | 17 | (6) |
| 1998 | England B | 1 | (1) |
| 1999–2010 | England | 62 | (7) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021 | Leicester City Women (interim) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Emile William Ivanhoe Heskey (born 11 January 1978) is a famous English former footballer. He played as a striker and was known for his strength and teamwork. Emile played over 500 games in the top English leagues during his 18-year career. He also played for the England national team. After his playing days, he became the head of football development for Leicester City Women.
Emile started his career at Leicester City, where he grew up in their youth system. He made his first team debut in 1995. With Leicester, he won the League Cup twice, in 1997 and 2000. In 2000, he moved to Liverpool for £11 million, which was a record fee for the club at the time. At Liverpool, he won many trophies, including the FA Cup in 2001.
Later, he played for Birmingham City and then Wigan Athletic. He joined Aston Villa in 2009. After leaving Villa in 2012, he played for Newcastle Jets in Australia. He finished his playing career back in England with Bolton Wanderers.
Emile Heskey played for England at different youth levels before joining the senior team. He made his debut for the main England team in 1999. He played in major tournaments like the 2002 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2004. He was known for his strong partnership with fellow striker Michael Owen. Emile retired from international football after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He played 62 games for England and scored 7 goals.
In 2021, Emile became the head of women's football development at Leicester City Women. He also helps coach the England U18s.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Football
Emile Heskey was born in Leicester, England. His family has roots in Antigua. His father, Tyrone Heskey, worked in security for nightclubs in Leicester. Emile went to City of Leicester School.
Emile loved football from a young age. He played for a local youth team called Ratby Groby Juniors. When he was nine, he joined Leicester City's football academy.
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Leicester City
Emile started playing for Leicester City's first team when he was just 17. This was in a Premier League match in March 1995. Leicester was relegated to the First Division that season. Emile signed his first professional contract in October 1995.
He became a regular player in the 1995–96 season. He scored his first goal in a 1–0 win against Norwich City. That season, he scored seven goals. He helped Leicester get promoted back to the Premier League. They won the 1996 First Division play-off final against Crystal Palace.
In the 1996–97 season, Emile scored 10 goals in the Premier League. He scored the tying goal in the 1997 League Cup Final against Middlesbrough. Leicester won the replay. Emile was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award. He scored 10 Premier League goals again the next season.
In the 1998–99 season, Emile scored six goals. He was sometimes criticized for not scoring enough. However, he formed a great partnership with striker Tony Cottee. Their teamwork helped Leicester stay in the Premier League. Emile played in the 1999 League Cup Final, where Leicester lost to Tottenham Hotspur. He won the League Cup again in 2000, as Leicester beat Tranmere Rovers 2–1.
Time at Liverpool
Emile joined Liverpool on 10 March 2000. The transfer fee was £11 million, which was a record for Liverpool at the time. Liverpool's manager, Gérard Houllier, was excited to work with him. Emile made his debut against Sunderland and scored his first goal against Coventry City.
The 2000–01 season was amazing for Emile and Liverpool. He scored 22 goals. Liverpool won a "treble" of trophies: the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the UEFA Cup. Emile played in all three finals. He also helped Liverpool win the 2001 FA Charity Shield against Manchester United. Then, they beat Bayern Munich to win the 2001 UEFA Super Cup.
In the 2002–03 season, Emile scored 9 goals. He faced more competition for his spot from Milan Baroš. He also helped Liverpool win the League Cup again, beating Manchester United 2–0. In the 2003–04 season, he scored 12 goals.
Moving to Birmingham City
Emile signed with Birmingham City on 18 May 2004. He signed a five-year contract. He made his debut against Portsmouth. His first goal for Birmingham was a header against Manchester City.
At the end of his first season, Birmingham finished 12th in the Premier League. Emile was named the club's Player of the Season. He was also the top goalscorer with 11 goals. In the 2005–06 season, he scored four goals. Birmingham was relegated to the Championship that season.
Playing for Wigan Athletic
Emile joined Wigan Athletic on 7 July 2006 for £5.5 million. He made his debut against Newcastle United. In his 500th league game, he scored his first goal for Wigan against Reading.
In the 2006–07 season, he scored 8 goals in 36 games. Wigan managed to avoid relegation that season. In April 2008, Emile scored a late goal against Chelsea. This goal hurt Chelsea's chances of winning the Premier League title. He finished the 2007–08 season with 4 goals.
His first goal of the 2008–09 season came in a big 5–0 win against Hull City. In November 2008, he scored his 100th Premier League goal against Portsmouth. This goal helped Wigan win 2–1.
Time at Aston Villa
Emile signed for Aston Villa on 23 January 2009. The fee was £3.5 million. He made his debut four days later against Portsmouth. He scored a goal from 20 yards, which was his first goal on a club debut. He scored one more goal that season.
In July 2009, Emile was injured during a friendly match. He played in the 2010 League Cup Final for Villa, but they lost 2–1 to Manchester United. He finished the 2009–10 season with 5 goals in 42 games.
In the 2010–11 season, Emile scored winning goals in local derby matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion. In May 2011, during a match against Wigan, Emile had a disagreement with the referee and was substituted at half-time. He stayed with Villa for one more season, scoring once. He left the club in May 2012.
Playing in Australia with Newcastle Jets
Emile signed for the Australian A-League club Newcastle Jets on 21 September 2012. He was their "marquee player," meaning a big-name player brought in to attract fans. He made his debut against Adelaide United.
He scored his first A-League goal in a 3–2 win against Sydney FC. He quickly scored five goals in his first five starts. This included two goals against Melbourne Victory. The game against Melbourne even had a special "Heskey Cam" so viewers could follow his movements. After scoring 9 goals in 23 games, he signed a new contract for the next season. He left the Jets in 2014 to return to England.
Finishing Career at Bolton Wanderers
After a successful trial, Emile signed for Championship club Bolton Wanderers on 24 December 2014. He made his debut two days later. He scored the tying goal in a 2–1 win against Blackburn. This goal was set up by another experienced player, Eiður Guðjohnsen. Emile was released by Bolton in 2016 and then retired from playing football.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring, Emile Heskey became a coach. In 2017, he joined Egerton as a coach. In 2020, he started a UEFA Management course. As part of this, he looked into working with Leicester City's women's team.
In September 2020, he became an ambassador and mentor for Leicester City Women. His job was to help develop the club's academy. In 2021, he became the head of women's football development for Leicester City Women. He also briefly took over as interim manager for the women's team in November 2021. His only match in charge was a League Cup win on penalties.
In August 2023, Emile was appointed as a coach for the England U18s. This was part of a program to help former players become top coaches.
International Career for England
Youth Teams
Emile first played for the England U16 team in April 1994. He played in four matches for them. He then played for the U18s, scoring two goals in his debut against Latvia in November 1995. He scored five goals in eight games for the U18s.
Next, Emile played for the England U21 team. He made his debut in October 1996. He scored six goals in 17 games for the U21s. He also played one game for the England B team in 1998, scoring a goal.
Senior England Team
Emile was first called up to the senior England team in November 1998. He made his debut in a friendly match against Hungary in April 1999. He played his first full game against Argentina at Wembley Stadium in February 2000. He was part of the England squad for UEFA Euro 2000.
2002 FIFA World Cup
In September 2001, Emile scored a goal in England's famous 5–1 win away against Germany in a World Cup qualifier. He was known for his "DJ goal celebration" after scoring. Emile was chosen for the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad. He scored against Denmark in England's 3–0 victory, which helped England reach the quarter-finals. England then lost to Brazil, who went on to win the tournament.
UEFA Euro 2004
Emile was part of the England squad for UEFA Euro 2004. He came on as a substitute in a match against France. England was leading 1–0, but Emile gave away a free kick, and France equalized. England eventually lost 2–1.
Later International Games
Emile was recalled to the England squad in September 2007 for Euro 2008 qualifiers. He played an important role in the attack against Israel and Russia. He was praised for his performances, especially for helping Michael Owen score.
He played his 50th game for England in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Belarus in October 2008. He formed a strong partnership with Wayne Rooney. Emile scored his first England goal in six years against Slovakia in March 2009. He scored again in a 4–0 win over Kazakhstan in a 2010 World Cup qualifier.
2010 FIFA World Cup
Emile was selected for England's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He started in England's first match, a 1–1 draw with the United States. He assisted Steven Gerrard's goal in that game.
Emile retired from international football on 15 July 2010. He played 62 games for England and scored 7 goals.
How Emile Played
Emile Heskey played as a striker. He was strong and fast, and good at winning the ball in the air. He was known for being a "targetman," meaning he could hold up the ball with his back to the goal. This would draw defenders away, creating space for other players to score.
He was a very unselfish player. He would link up well with teammates and create chances for them. He wasn't always the top goalscorer, but he provided many assists. He once said, "Forwards are judged on their goalscoring but I like to think I bring a lot more to the game and I do get pleasure from assisting." He could also play on the left wing or even as an attacking midfielder. Managers and teammates often praised his selfless teamwork.
Personal Life
Emile Heskey married Chantelle Tagoe in May 2014. He has six children. Three children are with his former partner, Kylee Pinsent, and three are with Chantelle.
In July 2008, while Emile was at training, his fiancée Chantelle was held at knifepoint at their home. Thieves stole his car, but Chantelle and their two children (at the time) were not hurt. Emile said Chantelle was "very, very distressed" by the incident.
Emile's sons, Jaden and Reigan, play in the youth teams for Manchester City. In March 2023, Jaden scored a goal for Manchester City Under-21s in a big win against Manchester United.
Images for kids
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Heskey playing a friendly match in Brunei, 2024
Honours
Leicester City
- Football League Cup: 1996–97, 1999–2000
- Football League First Division play-offs: 1996
Liverpool
- FA Cup: 2000–01
- Football League Cup: 2000–01, 2002–03
- FA Charity Shield: 2001
- UEFA Cup: 2000–01
- UEFA Super Cup: 2001
Individual Awards
- Birmingham City Player of the Season: 2004–05
- Birmingham City Players' Player of the Season: 2004–05
See also
In Spanish: Emile Heskey para niños
