Theo Walcott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Theo Walcott

Walcott playing for Arsenal in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Theo James Walcott
Date of birth	(1989-03-16) 16 March 1989 (age 36)
Place of birth	Stanmore, England
Height	5 feet 9 inches (1.76 m)
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
1999–2000	Newbury
2000	Swindon Town
2000–2005	Southampton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2006	Southampton	21	(4)
2006–2018	Arsenal	270	(65)
2018–2021	Everton	77	(10)
2020–2021	→ Southampton (loan)	21	(3)
2021–2023	Southampton	29	(2)
Total		418	(84)
National team
2004–2005	England U16	4	(0)
2005–2006	England U17	14	(5)
2006	England U19	1	(1)
2006–2010	England U21	21	(6)
2006	England B	1	(0)
2006–2016	England	47	(8)
Honours Men's football Representing  England UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-up 2009 Sweden
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Theo James Walcott (born 16 March 1989) is an English former professional footballer. He played as a forward for many years. Theo represented England at the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2012. He played 47 games for his country, scoring eight goals.

Walcott started his career at the Southampton Academy. He then joined Arsenal in 2006 for £5 million. His amazing speed and ability to cross the ball meant his manager, Arsène Wenger, often played him on the wing. Later in his career, from the 2012–13 season, he also played as a striker. He was Arsenal's top scorer that season and scored over 100 goals for the club in total.

On 30 May 2006, Theo Walcott became England's youngest-ever senior football player. He was only 17 years and 75 days old. In December of that year, he won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. On 10 September 2008, he made history again. He became the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick for England in a senior international match against Croatia.

Theo Walcott's Early Life

Theo Walcott was born in Stanmore, London. He grew up in Compton, Berkshire. His father was British Jamaican and his mother was English. He went to Compton Church of England Primary School. He also attended The Downs School.

Theo grew up as a big fan of Liverpool. This was because his dad supported them. When he was asked to be a ball boy for Chelsea, he used the chance to meet his Liverpool heroes. He was excited to meet players like Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.

Theo Walcott's Club Career

Starting Out in Football

As a child, Theo Walcott began playing football for his local village team. He then moved to Newbury. In his only season for Newbury, he scored more than 100 goals. After that, he joined Swindon Town. He stayed there for just six months. Then he moved to Southampton, even though Chelsea was also interested in him. When Theo was 14, Nike signed a sponsorship deal with him.

Playing for Southampton

In the 2004–05 season, Theo Walcott played a key role in the Southampton youth team. They reached the final of the FA Youth Cup. He also became the youngest player to play for the Southampton reserve team. He was 15 years and 175 days old when he played against Watford in September 2004.

Before the 2005–06 season, Theo joined the first team for their tour of Scotland. He was just two weeks out of school. He became the youngest player ever to play for Southampton's first team. He was 16 years and 143 days old. This happened when he came on as a substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Theo made his first full start for Southampton on 18 October 2005 against Leeds United. He scored after 25 minutes, becoming Southampton's youngest senior goalscorer. He scored again four days later against Millwall. He also scored in his first home start against Stoke City. His quick rise to fame led him to be a finalist for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award in December 2005.

Joining Arsenal Football Club

Walcott playing for Arsenal in 2007

Theo Walcott moved to Arsenal on 20 January 2006. The fee was £5 million, which could rise to £12 million. He first joined as a young player. He signed a professional contract on his 17th birthday, 16 March 2006. In 2008, manager Arsène Wenger said that Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Liverpool had also wanted to sign him.

Arsenal: First Seasons (2006–2010)

Theo made his Premier League debut on 19 August 2006. He came on as a substitute against Aston Villa and helped set up a goal. Four days later, he played in the Champions League. He became Arsenal's youngest player to appear in a European competition. His cross led to a goal, giving Arsenal a 2–1 win. This was Arsenal's first win at their new Emirates Stadium. His first start was against Watford on 14 October 2006. At the end of 2006, he won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

Theo scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 2007 League Cup Final against Chelsea. His goal was in the 12th minute. However, Chelsea won the match 2–1. A shoulder injury later affected his performance.

In the 2007–08 season, Theo scored his first home goals in a Champions League match against Slavia Prague. Arsenal won 7–0. He scored his first two Premier League goals in a 2–2 draw with Birmingham City. In a Champions League quarter-final, he made a fantastic run and set up a goal. He finished the season with seven goals.

For the 2008–09 season, Theo changed his shirt number to 14. This was the number worn by his idol, Thierry Henry. He became a regular player, often starting on the right wing. On 18 October, he scored his first Premier League goal of the season against Everton. Three days later, he scored in a 5–2 Champions League win against Fenerbahçe.

Walcott playing for Arsenal in 2010

Theo dislocated his shoulder in November 2008 while training with England. He had surgery and returned in March. In April 2009, he scored against Wigan Athletic. Four days later, in the Champions League, he scored against Villarreal. Arsenal won the match. In May 2009, he signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.

The 2009–10 season was difficult due to injuries. He only started 15 games. On 6 March 2010, he scored his second goal of the season against Burnley. In a Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, Theo came off the bench and changed the game. He scored within three minutes. His speed caused problems for Barcelona.

Arsenal: Top Scorer and Injuries (2010–2013)

Theo's start to the 2010–11 season was very good. He won Arsenal's Player of the Month award in August. In the second match of the season, he scored his first hat-trick for Arsenal. They beat Blackpool 6–0. On 27 December 2010, he scored a goal and assisted another to help beat Chelsea 3–1.

Walcott (right) playing for Arsenal in 2011

In January 2011, Theo admitted to diving in an FA Cup match against Leeds United. He later got a real penalty which helped Arsenal draw. In February, an ankle injury ruled him out of the League Cup final. He ended the season with a career-high 9 goals in the Premier League and 13 goals overall.

On 16 August 2011, Theo scored his first goal of the 2011–12 season in a Champions League qualifier. This helped Arsenal win 1–0 against Udinese. He scored again in the second game, helping Arsenal qualify for the group stage. He scored Arsenal's first goal in the 2011–12 Premier League against Manchester United, but Arsenal lost 8–2. He scored his fourth goal on 29 October in a 5–3 win at Chelsea.

Theo scored his first goal of 2012 against Swansea City. On 4 February 2012, he helped set up three goals in a 7–1 win against Blackburn Rovers. On 26 February, he scored two goals against Tottenham Hotspur. This helped Arsenal win 5–2 after being 0–2 down.

Walcott playing for Arsenal in 2012

On 15 September 2012, Theo came on as a substitute and scored his first goal of the season. This was in a 6–1 win over his old club, Southampton. On 26 September, he scored twice in a 6–1 League Cup win against Coventry City. On 30 October, Theo scored two goals in a League Cup match against Reading. Arsenal came back from 4–0 down to win 7–5 in extra time. Theo completed his hat-trick in this game.

Walcott playing for Arsenal in 2013

On 29 December, Theo played as a lone striker. He scored his first Premier League hat-trick of the season. He also provided two assists in a big 7–3 win over Newcastle United. One of his goals was voted BBC Goal of the Month. On 18 January 2013, Theo signed a new contract with Arsenal. Two days later, he scored Arsenal's only goal in a 2–1 loss to Chelsea. He scored in four games in a row. He scored his 20th goal of the season against Queens Park Rangers after just 20 seconds. This was the fastest goal in the Premier League that season. Theo finished the season as Arsenal's top scorer with 21 goals and 16 assists.

Arsenal: FA Cup Wins (2013–2017)

Walcott celebrating with teammates and fans at a parade after winning the 2013–14 FA Cup

Theo started the 2013–14 season well. He made assists and scored a goal against Olympique de Marseille in the Champions League. In late September, he had abdominal surgery and was out for two months. He returned in late November against Southampton.

He came on as a substitute in Arsenal's next four games. He assisted goals against Cardiff City and Everton. On 14 December, he started his first game since returning from injury against Manchester City. He scored twice, but Arsenal lost 6–3. On 26 December, his two goals against West Ham United included his first headed goal for the club. In January 2014, Theo injured his knee in an FA Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur. This injury meant he would miss the rest of the season and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Walcott (right) at Arsenal's 2014–15 FA Cup winner's parade

On 1 November 2014, Theo returned to play for Arsenal after ten months. He came off the bench in a 3–0 win against Burnley. His first start of the season was against Hull City in the FA Cup on 4 January 2015. This was exactly one year after his injury. On 25 January, he scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season in an FA Cup win against Brighton & Hove Albion. In Arsenal's last league game, Theo scored a hat-trick in 34 minutes against West Bromwich Albion. On 30 May, Theo started as a centre forward in the 2015 FA Cup Final. He scored the first goal in Arsenal's 4–0 win against Aston Villa.

Walcott playing for Arsenal in 2015

Before the new season, Theo signed a new contract with Arsenal. He scored twice in pre-season games. He started the 2015–16 season as a centre forward. He assisted the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Chelsea in the 2015 FA Community Shield.

On 12 September, Theo scored his first goal of the season in a 2–0 win against Stoke City. He scored three more goals in September, including one in a 5–2 win at Leicester City. His good performances earned him Arsenal Supporters' Player of the Month for September. He scored two goals in a 4–0 FA Cup win over Hull City in March.

Theo started Arsenal's first game of the 2016–17 season against Liverpool. He missed a penalty but then scored Arsenal's first goal. Arsenal still lost 3–4. He scored his second goal of the season and his 100th career goal against Hull City. He then scored two goals in the Champions League against Basel on 30 September.

On 17 December 2016, Theo scored the first goal in a 2–1 loss at Manchester City. He returned on 28 January 2017 and scored a hat-trick against his former club Southampton in the FA Cup. He scored his 100th goal for Arsenal on 20 February in a 2–0 FA Cup win over Sutton United. On 5 April, Theo captained Arsenal to a 3–0 win against West Ham United. He scored the second goal, which was his 19th and last of the season. He was a substitute when Arsenal beat Chelsea 2–1 in the 2017 FA Cup Final.

Arsenal: Final Season (2017–18)

Theo helped Arsenal win the 2017 Community Shield against Chelsea. He scored his penalty in the shootout. During his last season at Arsenal, he mostly played in the Europa League and EFL Cup. He only made 6 substitute appearances in the Premier League. By October, he was not playing as much for Arsenal. He scored four goals that season, three of them in the Europa League group stage against BATE Borisov.

Moving to Everton

On 17 January 2018, Theo Walcott signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Everton. The deal was reported to be worth over £20 million. He made his debut for Everton three days later. He assisted a goal in a 1–1 draw against West Bromwich Albion. In his next game, he scored two goals in a 2–1 win over Leicester.

Loan Back to Southampton

On 5 October 2020, Theo Walcott rejoined Southampton on loan. On 17 October, he played for Southampton again for the first time since 2006. He assisted a goal in a 3–3 draw against Chelsea. Theo scored his first goal since rejoining Southampton in a 1–1 draw against Wolves on 23 November. He also scored in a 1–1 draw against his former team Arsenal on 16 December.

Returning to Southampton Permanently

On 18 May 2021, Theo Walcott signed a permanent two-year contract with Southampton. This deal started after his loan from Everton ended in June. On 14 August 2021, he played his first game since joining Southampton permanently. It was a 3–1 loss against Everton. He did not score any goals during the 2021–22 season.

On 23 October 2022, Theo made his first appearance of the 2022–23 season. This was in a 1–1 draw against Arsenal. On 18 March 2023, he scored his first goal since his permanent return to Southampton. This was in a 3–3 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. On 21 April, he scored another goal in a 3–3 draw away against Arsenal. On 28 May 2023, Theo confirmed he would leave Southampton at the end of the season. He said he still wanted to keep playing football.

Retirement from Football

On 18 August 2023, Theo Walcott announced he was retiring from football. His career included 563 club games and 47 England games. Theo shared a message on Twitter thanking all the clubs, coaches, and players he had worked with. In the summer of 2024, Theo joined Match Of The Day as a studio analyst.

Theo Walcott's International Career

2006 FIFA World Cup

On 8 May 2006, 17-year-old Theo Walcott was chosen for Sven-Göran Eriksson's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

On 30 May 2006, he became England's youngest-ever senior player. He played in a 3–1 friendly win over Hungary. He was 17 years and 75 days old. Even though he was one of only two fit strikers, he did not play during the tournament. The manager said the experience would help him in the future.

After the World Cup, a new England manager, Steve McClaren, took over. He put Theo in the England Under-21s team.

Under-21 European Championships

On 15 August 2006, Theo became the youngest player to score for the England under-21 team. He scored after three minutes in a 2–2 draw with Moldova. This was his first game for the Under-21s.

Theo scored two goals against Germany. These goals helped England qualify for the Under-21 European Championship in October 2006. In 2009, Theo played in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship despite his club manager's concerns. England reached the final but lost 4–0 to Germany. Theo won a silver medal as a runner-up.

2010 World Cup Qualification

On 6 September 2008, Theo made his first competitive start for England. This was in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra. In the next game against Croatia on 10 September, he scored his first senior international goals. He became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for England. He was also the first England player to score a hat-trick in a competitive game since 2001.

Theo returned to the England team on 3 March 2010 in a friendly against Egypt. It was his first international start in nine months. On 1 June 2010, it was announced that Theo was not included in England's 23-man World Cup squad by manager Fabio Capello. Later, in January 2011, Capello admitted he made a mistake by not picking Theo for the 2010 World Cup.

Euro 2012 Performance

In the Euro 2012 qualifying match against Switzerland on 7 September 2010, Theo was injured. He was out of action for several weeks.

At UEFA Euro 2012, Theo came on as a substitute against Sweden. Soon after coming on, Theo scored to make the game 2–2. Less than 15 minutes later, he provided a cross for the winning goal in England's 3–2 victory. England manager Roy Hodgson praised Theo's "enormous" impact on the game.

2014 World Cup Qualifying

Theo started in England's 5–0 win against San Marino. However, he was injured early in the game. He was taken to hospital and ruled out of the next match. He did not start another qualifier until almost a year later. He played in wins against Moldova and a draw against Ukraine. He was injured again before England's matches against Montenegro and Poland. England won these games to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Later International Career

Theo missed the 2014 World Cup due to injury. He was also not selected for the Euro 2016 squad. The manager said Theo had not played regularly enough and had injury problems.

On 16 March 2017, his 28th birthday, Theo was told he was being dropped from the England squad. This was despite scoring many goals for Arsenal that season. The manager said Theo had not shown his club form in recent England matches. His appearance against Spain in November 2016 was his final game for England.

Theo Walcott's Style of Play

Theo Walcott is famous for his incredible speed. Former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola once said, "you would need a pistol to stop him." Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger compared him to the club's top scorer, Thierry Henry. FIFA World Player of the Year winner Lionel Messi called Theo "one of the most dangerous players I have ever played against." Besides his speed, Theo also has good balance, movement, and technique.

Theo Walcott Outside Football

Personal Life

Theo's family had a small appearance in the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The film was directed by David Yates, Theo's uncle. Theo himself was supposed to be in it, but his football commitments stopped him. His cousin, Jacob Walcott, also played football for England's Under-17 team. Theo's older sister, Hollie, is a bodybuilder.

Theo has been with Melanie Slade since 2004. They met at a shopping centre in Southampton. The couple got married in Italy in June 2013. Their first son, Finley James Walcott, was born on 10 April 2014. Their second son, Arlo, was born on 26 November 2016.

Theo has supported UK charities like Build a School and Best Beginnings. There is even a pie named after him at an Arsenal pie shop!

On 6 April 2008, Theo was a torchbearer for the Olympic Flame in London. This was for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Endorsements and Books

When Theo was 14, he signed a deal with sportswear company Nike. In November 2012, he appeared in an advert for Nike Green Speed II.

In February 2015, Theo announced a new sponsorship deal with Adidas. He appeared in an Adidas advert in August 2016, showing off his skills.

Theo is also featured in EA Sports' FIFA video game series. One of his goal celebrations, a 'pat-a-cake' dance with Mesut Özil, is in FIFA 14.

Theo has written four children's books: "T.J. and the Hat-Trick", "T.J. and the Penalty", "T.J. and the Winning Goal", and "T.J. and the Cup Run". His autobiography, Theo: Growing Up Fast, was published in August 2011.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Walcott goal.

List of international goals scored by Theo Walcott

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	10 September 2008	Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia	4	Croatia	1–0	4–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2					2–0
3					4–1
4	15 June 2012	Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex, Kyiv, Ukraine	26	Sweden	2–2	3–2	UEFA Euro 2012
5	14 August 2013	Wembley Stadium, London, England	34	Scotland	1–1	3–2	Friendly
6	5 September 2015	San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino	41	San Marino	4–0	6–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
7					6–0
8	9 October 2015	Wembley Stadium, London, England	42	Estonia	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualification

Honours and Achievements

Southampton

• FA Youth Cup runner-up: 2004–05

Arsenal

• FA Cup: 2014–15, 2016–17
• FA Community Shield: 2015, 2017
• Football League Cup runner-up: 2006–07

England U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2009

Individual Awards

• BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year: 2006
• BBC London Young Footballer of the Year: 2008

See also

In Spanish: Theo Walcott para niños