Eric Dier facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Eric Dier

Dier with Tottenham Hotspur in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth	(1994-01-15) 15 January 1994 (age 31)
Place of birth	Cheltenham, England
Height	6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m)
Playing position	Centre-back defensive midfielder
Club information
Current club	Bayern Munich
Number	15
Youth career
2003–2012	Sporting CP
2011–2012	→ Everton (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2012–2014	Sporting CP B	16	(2)
2012–2014	Sporting CP	27	(1)
2014–2024	Tottenham Hotspur	274	(12)
2024	→ Bayern Munich (loan)	15	(0)
2024–	Bayern Munich	9	(0)
National team‡
2011	England U18	1	(0)
2012–2013	England U19	8	(0)
2013–2014	England U20	6	(0)
2013–2015	England U21	9	(0)
2015–2022	England	49	(3)
Honours Men's football Representing  England UEFA Nations League Third 2019
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:26, 25 January 2025 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:07, 4 December 2022 (UTC)

Eric Jeremy Edgar Dier (born January 15, 1994) is an English professional football player. He plays as a centre-back (a type of defender) or a defensive midfielder. Currently, he plays for the German club Bundesliga team Bayern Munich.

Eric grew up in Portugal, where he started playing football at Sporting CP. He made his first team appearances in 2012. In 2014, he moved to the English club Tottenham Hotspur for about £4 million. He played 365 games for Tottenham and scored 13 goals. He even played in big matches like the 2015 Football League Cup final and the 2019 UEFA Champions League final. After ten years with Tottenham, he joined Bayern Munich in January 2024.

Even though Portugal was interested in him, Eric chose to play for England. He first played for England's main team in November 2015. He was chosen for major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

Eric Dier's Early Life and Family

Eric Dier was born in Cheltenham, England. His father, Jeremy, used to be a professional tennis player. Eric's grandfather, Ted Croker, was a famous person in English football. He was a secretary for The Football Association (FA). Eric's great-uncle, Peter Croker, also played football professionally.

In 2001, when Eric was seven, he moved to Portugal with his parents and five brothers and sisters. They lived in Lagos for a year. There, he played for a youth football team called Esperança de Lagos. Later, they moved to Lisbon. Eric's mother got a job helping with the UEFA Euro 2004 football tournament.

Eric joined Sporting CP's youth academy. In 2010, his parents moved back to England. But Eric stayed in Portugal, living at Sporting CP's training center called Academia Sporting.

Eric Dier's Club Football Journey

Starting Out in Portugal

While playing football at his school in Lisbon, Eric's talent was noticed by his P.E. teacher. This teacher helped him get a trial at Sporting CP when he was eight. Eric signed a professional contract with Sporting CP in April 2010. Big clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United also wanted him.

In January 2011, Eric went on loan to Everton in England. Sporting CP said this loan would help him grow as a player. Eric played ten games for Everton's Under-18 team. He even won the U18 Premier League with them. It was a bit hard for him to get used to life in England again. But he stayed at Everton's academy for another year.

Breaking Through at Sporting CP

On August 26, 2012, Eric made his debut for Sporting B, which is Sporting's reserve team. They won their game 3–1. On November 4, 2012, Eric scored his first goal as a senior player. It was a free kick for Sporting B.

Just a week later, on November 11, 2012, Eric was called up to play for Sporting CP's main team. He helped them win 1–0 against Braga. Fifteen days later, he scored his first goal for Sporting's main team. It was in a 2–2 draw against Moreirense.

Playing for Tottenham Hotspur

Dier playing for Tottenham Hotspur in the 2015 League Cup Final

On August 2, 2014, Eric signed a five-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur. The transfer cost £4 million. He played his first game for Tottenham on August 16. He scored the winning goal in the last minutes against West Ham United. Eight days later, in his second game, he scored again with a header from a corner. Tottenham won that game 4–0. On March 1, 2015, Eric played in the League Cup Final. Tottenham lost to Chelsea at Wembley.

Eric signed a new contract in September 2015, keeping him at Tottenham until 2020. During the 2015–16 season, his coach, Mauricio Pochettino, used him as a defensive midfielder. He became a key player alongside Mousa Dembélé. Tottenham played very well that season, challenging Leicester City for the Premier League title. Eric scored Tottenham's first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw against Stoke City. He also scored in a 4–1 win over Manchester City.

In September 2016, Eric signed another new contract until 2021. In the 2016–17 season, he often played as a centre-back again. This was because Tottenham had a new defensive midfielder, Victor Wanyama, and other defenders were injured. He played his first UEFA Champions League game in October 2016. Eric was also the captain for Tottenham for the first time in a game against Liverpool. He scored his first goal of that season in April 2017 against Burnley.

In the 2018–19 season, Eric scored his first goal in 18 months. It was the winning goal in a 1–0 game against Cardiff City. He had surgery in December 2018 for appendicitis. He came back to play in January 2019. However, he kept getting sick after the surgery and missed more games. On June 1, Eric played in Tottenham's first ever Champions League final. He came on as a substitute in the game, which Tottenham lost 2–0 to Liverpool.

Dier holds off NŠ Mura's Mitja Lotrič in the maiden edition of the UEFA Europa Conference League, 2021

Before the 2019–20 season, Eric had another medical procedure. He didn't start his first game until September 24. This game was an EFL Cup match against Colchester United. Tottenham lost the game after a penalty shoot-out. He played better in a Champions League game against Red Star Belgrade, which Tottenham won 4–0.

On July 21, 2020, Eric signed a new contract with Tottenham until June 2024.

Moving to Bayern Munich

On January 11, 2024, Eric joined the German club Bayern Munich. He went on a six-month loan. This move meant he would play with his former Tottenham teammate, Harry Kane, again. Eric made his first appearance for Bayern Munich on January 24, 2024. They won 1–0 against Union Berlin.

On March 1, 2024, it was confirmed that Eric would join Bayern Munich permanently. This happened because he played enough games to meet a condition in his loan contract. He signed a one-year deal with the club. Towards the end of the season, Eric played very well with Matthijs de Ligt in defense. They helped Bayern Munich do well in the Champions League.

Eric Dier's International Career

Playing for England's Youth Teams

The Portuguese Football Federation wanted Eric to play for Portugal. But he could only do so after he turned 18. Eric had already been part of an England team kit promotion. When he joined Everton, the FA said they planned to pick him for England's youth squad.

Eric got his first call-up for England in November 2011. The Under-18 coach picked him for a game against Slovakia. He played the whole game, which ended in a 1–1 draw.

Dier playing for England U19s in 2012

In May 2013, Eric was chosen for England's Under-20 World Cup team. He played his first game for them on June 16. It was a 3–0 win against Uruguay.

Eric made his debut for the England Under-21s in August 2013. They won 6–0 against Scotland. In 2014, he told the Under-21 coach, Gareth Southgate, that he wanted to focus on playing centre-back at his club. So, he left the Under-21 squad.

Playing for England's Senior Team

Dier playing for England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

On November 5, 2015, Eric was chosen for the England senior team for the first time. The manager, Roy Hodgson, picked him for friendly games. He made his debut eight days later against Spain. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 loss. Eric started his first game for England on November 17 against France. England won that game 2–0. On March 26, 2016, he scored his first goal for England. It was a header from a corner kick, which helped England win 3–2 against Germany.

Eric was chosen for UEFA Euro 2016 in France. In England's first game against Russia, he scored the first goal from a free-kick. The game ended in a 1–1 draw.

On November 10, 2017, Eric was the captain for the England team for the first time. It was a friendly game against Germany, which ended in a 0–0 draw.

He was part of the 23-man England squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was captain for the last group game against Belgium. Eric scored the winning penalty in the second round game against Colombia. This was England's first ever World Cup penalty shootout victory.

In September 2022, Eric was called up to the England team again after 18 months. He played in UEFA Nations League games against Italy and Germany. A month later, he was included in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Eric Dier's Playing Style

Eric Dier is a very versatile player. This means he can play in different positions on the field. He can play as a midfielder, a centre-back (defender), and even a right-back. His ability to play in many roles helps his team change their tactics during a game. Eric has said that his playing style is a mix of Portuguese and English football. In 2018, a sports writer described Eric as a player who is "more of a destroyer than a creator." This means he is better at stopping opponents' attacks than at creating his own.

Personal Life

Eric Dier has both British and Portuguese citizenship. This means he is also a citizen of the European Union. In 2023, he married his girlfriend, Anna Modler, who is a model from South Africa. Eric can speak Portuguese very well.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Dier goal

List of international goals scored by Eric Dier

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	26 March 2016	Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany	3	Germany	3–2	3–2	Friendly
2	11 June 2016	Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France	8	Russia	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2016
3	4 September 2017	Wembley Stadium, London, England	20	Slovakia	1–1	2–1	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Football Achievements and Awards

Tottenham Hotspur

• Football League Cup/EFL Cup runner-up: 2014–15, 2020–21
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2018–19

England

• UEFA Nations League third place: 2018–19

Images for kids

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  Dier with Tottenham Hotspur in 2020

• 

  Dier playing for Tottenham Hotspur in the 2015 League Cup Final

• 

  Dier holds off NŠ Mura's Mitja Lotrič in the UEFA Europa Conference League, 2021

• 

  Dier playing for England U19s in 2012

• 

  Dier playing for England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

See also

In Spanish: Eric Dier para niños