Jermain Defoe facts for kids
.jpg)
Defoe in 2009
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jermain Colin Defoe | ||
| Date of birth | 7 October 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Beckton, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Senrab | |||
| 1997–1999 | Charlton Athletic | ||
| 1999 | West Ham United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2004 | West Ham United | 93 | (29) |
| 2000–2001 | → AFC Bournemouth (loan) | 29 | (18) |
| 2004–2008 | Tottenham Hotspur | 139 | (43) |
| 2008 | → Portsmouth (loan) | 1 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | Portsmouth | 30 | (14) |
| 2009–2014 | Tottenham Hotspur | 135 | (47) |
| 2014 | Toronto FC | 19 | (11) |
| 2014 | → Tottenham Hotspur (loan) | 2 | (1) |
| 2015–2017 | Sunderland | 87 | (34) |
| 2017–2020 | AFC Bournemouth | 28 | (4) |
| 2019–2020 | → Rangers (loan) | 37 | (21) |
| 2020–2022 | Rangers | 17 | (4) |
| 2022 | Sunderland | 7 | (0) |
| Total | 624 | (227) | |
| International career | |||
| England U16 | 8 | (0) | |
| 2000–2001 | England U18 | 7 | (0) |
| 2001–2003 | England U21 | 23 | (7) |
| 2004–2017 | England | 57 | (20) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021 | Rangers (caretaker) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jermain Colin Defoe OBE (born 7 October 1982) is an English football coach and a former professional player. He is known as one of the best strikers of his generation. He recently coached the under-18s team at Tottenham Hotspur.
As a player, Defoe was a striker, which means his main job was to score goals. He started his youth career at Charlton Athletic before moving to West Ham United at age 16. He played for many famous clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, and Sunderland. He also played for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Defoe is the tenth-highest goalscorer in Premier League history. He also holds the record for scoring the most goals as a substitute, with 24. In 2021, at the age of 38, he won his first and only league title with the Scottish club Rangers. He also played 57 times for the England national team, scoring 20 goals.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Football
Jermain Defoe was born in Beckton, a part of east London. He attended St Joachim Primary School and St Bonaventure's school. As a kid, he loved playing football.
He joined a famous youth team called Senrab, which also produced other famous players like John Terry and Ashley Cole. At 14, he was so good that he was invited to the FA National School of Excellence, a special school for talented young footballers.
Club Career
Defoe played for many clubs during his long and successful career. He was known for scoring goals almost everywhere he went.
West Ham United
At 16, Defoe turned professional with West Ham United. He made his first-team debut in 2000 and scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory.
To get more experience, he was sent on loan to AFC Bournemouth. There, he became a star by scoring in ten games in a row, a very rare achievement. He scored 18 goals in 29 matches for Bournemouth.
Back at West Ham, he became their top scorer in the 2001–02 season. However, the team was relegated (moved down to a lower league) in 2003. Defoe wanted to keep playing at the highest level, so he moved to Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham Hotspur
Defoe joined Tottenham Hotspur in February 2004. He scored a goal in his very first match for the club. He quickly became a fan favorite and was even named the club's Player of the Year for 2004.
He played for Tottenham for four years, scoring many important goals. After a short time away, he would later return to the club he loved.
Portsmouth
In 2008, Defoe moved to Portsmouth. He continued his habit of scoring on his debut, getting a goal against Chelsea. He became the first Portsmouth player ever to score in his first five home games.
Return to Tottenham
.jpg)
Defoe returned to Tottenham in January 2009. Fans were thrilled to have him back. His second time at the club was even more successful.
One of his most amazing games was in November 2009, when he scored five goals in a single match against Wigan. Tottenham won the game 9–1. Scoring five goals in one game is something only a few players have ever done in the Premier League.
During this time, he also became Tottenham's all-time leading goalscorer in European competitions. By the time he left in 2014, he was the club's fifth-highest scorer of all time.
Toronto FC
In 2014, Defoe decided to try something new and moved to Canada to play for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer (MLS). He scored two goals in his first match. He played one season in Toronto before returning to England.
Sunderland
Defoe joined Sunderland in 2015. The team was struggling to stay in the Premier League, and Defoe's goals were vital. He scored an incredible winning goal against their rivals, Newcastle United, which he later said was very emotional for him.
During the 2015–16 season, he scored 15 goals that helped Sunderland avoid relegation. He was named the club's Player of the Year for his amazing efforts.
Later Career and Retirement
Defoe had short spells back at AFC Bournemouth and then moved to Scotland to play for Rangers. At Rangers, he finally won a league title in the 2020–21 season.
He returned to Sunderland for one last time in 2022 before announcing his retirement from professional football in March 2022, ending a fantastic career.
International Career
Defoe represented England at youth levels before making his debut for the senior national team in 2004. He played 57 times for his country and scored 20 goals.
One of his biggest moments for England came at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Slovenia, which sent England through to the next round.
In 2017, after more than three years away from the team, he was called back to play for England. He scored in a 2–0 win against Lithuania at Wembley Stadium.
Life After Playing
After retiring, Defoe wanted to help the next generation of players. In August 2022, he returned to Tottenham Hotspur as a club ambassador and a coach for the academy's under-18 team. He left this role in 2024 to focus on becoming a manager.
Defoe is also known for his charity work. In 2013, he started the Jermain Defoe Foundation. For his services to his foundation, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2018, which is a great honor in the United Kingdom.
While at Sunderland, he formed a special friendship with a young fan named Bradley Lowery, who was very ill. Defoe often visited him, and their bond inspired many people.
Images for kids
-
Defoe (right) playing for England at UEFA Euro 2012
-
Defoe playing for AFC Bournemouth in 2017
See also
In Spanish: Jermain Defoe para niños
- List of footballers in England by number of league appearances (500+)
