Robbie Keane
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1980 (43 years old)
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Tallaght, IrelandPosition
Centre-Forward
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175 cm
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Robert David Keane (born 8 July 1980) is an Irish professional football coach and former player who played as a striker. Keane served as captain of the Republic of Ireland from March 2006 until his international retirement in August 2016. Keane is the most capped player and is the top goalscorer in the team's history. He was most recently the assistant manager of Middlesbrough.
Keane began his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, scoring twice on his first-team debut aged 17. The following season, he was the club's leading goalscorer and scored his first international goal for Ireland. He changed club frequently between 1999 and 2002, breaking transfer fee records, but his brief spells at Inter Milan and Leeds United were unexceptional. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2002 and played there for seven and a half years over two spells, amassing 306 appearances and 122 goals across all competitions. The 2007–08 season was the most fruitful of his career as he set a career record of 23 goals in a season, including a landmark 100th competitive goal, and won his first senior honour (the League Cup).
Keane moved to Liverpool in July 2008 but he spent only six months at the club before returning to Tottenham, where he was made first team captain. In January 2010, he moved on loan to Scottish Premier League side Celtic for the rest of the season, and spent the second half of the following season loaned to West Ham United. He left Tottenham for LA Galaxy in 2011, and in January 2012 went to Aston Villa on a two-month loan during the Major League Soccer (MLS) off-season. He departed LA Galaxy in 2016 having scored 104 goals across six seasons, before a short stint with Indian club ATK. Keane announced his retirement from professional football in November 2018. In total, he scored 126 Premier League goals for six different clubs, which ranks him as the 15th-most successful goalscorer in the history of the Premier League.
Keane scored 68 goals for the Republic of Ireland national team over an 18-year international career, making him the all-time record Irish scorer. His 146 caps is also an Irish record. Keane is the joint fifth-highest European international goalscorer of all time, and the only player in the history of world football to have scored at least one international goal in 19 consecutive years. Keane was the Republic of Ireland's top scorer at the 2002 FIFA World Cup with three goals as they reached the last 16, and also played at UEFA Euro 2012 and UEFA Euro 2016. Throughout his club and international career he was known for his goal celebration where he performed a cartwheel followed by a forward roll.
After announcing his retirement from playing, Keane began his coaching career with the Ireland senior team as assistant manager under Mick McCarthy's management setup in November 2018. He also took on the role of assistant manager at Championship club Middlesbrough in 2019, with his former teammate Jonathan Woodgate as manager. Keane signed a 1-year contract with Middlesbrough, which came to an end during the COVID-19 pandemic and left the club on his own terms in June 2020. During both jobs Keane studied for his UEFA Pro Licence; he received the license in 2020.
Robert David Keane was born and raised in Tallaght, Dublin, the son of Anne and Robert Keane. He started his football career with local club Fettercairn before joining Dublin schoolboy team Crumlin United at the age of 10, where his talent was seen and recognised at an early age. He also played Gaelic football until he was 15, before giving it up to pursue a football career. Keane received offers from both Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers, but decided to go to the First Division side, judging that it would be harder to break into the first team at Liverpool. He moved to Wolverhampton four days before his 16th birthday in July 1996, joining their youth team.
Keane was part of the so-called "golden generation" of Irish youth football of the late 1990s.
Under the guidance of Brian Kerr, the unfancied Republic of Ireland won the UEFA U16 and U18 European championships in 1998, and Keane was part of the victorious U18 side in Cyprus. In 1999, he played at the World Youth Cup in Nigeria, where the Republic of Ireland reached the last 16 before going out on penalties to the hosts. His first Republic of Ireland cap came against the Czech Republic in Olomouc in March 1998. He scored his first senior international goals against Malta in October that year.
Keane was selected by Mick McCarthy as part of the Republic of Ireland squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, scoring three goals in the Republic of Ireland's four games. Keane scored an injury-time equaliser against Germany in the group stage match as the Irish surprised many by holding the former champions to a 1–1 draw. This was the first of only three goals which Germany conceded in the tournament (the other two were scored in the final by Brazil's Ronaldo). In the Round of 16 match against Spain, he scored a last-minute penalty to force the game into extra-time and a penalty shootout after the Irish had gone a goal down early in the first half, but eventually lost 3–2 on penalties.
Keane became the Republic of Ireland's leading goalscorer during a match against the Faroe Islands on 13 October 2004 when he scored his 22nd and 23rd goals. The first of these goals broke Niall Quinn's record of 21 goals.
Although the Republic of Ireland failed to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Keane scored four goals in the Republic of Ireland's eight qualifying matches. Following Steve Staunton's appointment as Republic of Ireland manager, Keane was appointed captain. In their first game under Staunton, Keane scored the second goal in the 3–0 victory against Sweden at Lansdowne Road, and celebrated the final match at the Lansdowne Road stadium with a hat-trick on his 70th senior international appearance in a 5–0 defeat of San Marino on 15 November 2006. Giovanni Trapattoni, who took over from Staunton, maintained Keane as team captain starting in his first game in charge against Serbia on 24 May 2008 which ended in a 1–1 draw.
As captain, Keane led the team to a second-place finish in the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. He scored his 40th international goal against Cyprus, a header in the 83rd minute, which secured a 2–1 win for the Republic of Ireland. Along with Dimitar Berbatov, he topped the scoring chart in the qualifying group with 5 goals in 10 games. His 41st international goal came in the controversial 2010 World Cup play-off with France on 18 November 2009. This was his 26th goal in competitive (non-friendly) internationals.
Keane won his 100th cap against Argentina in a 1–0 friendly defeat on 11 August 2010. This match was also the first international football match at the new Aviva Stadium. He scored his 45th international goal against Russia in October 2010. It was the first time the Republic of Ireland had lost a game in which Keane had scored. Previously, the Republic of Ireland had won 26 and drew 10 of the 36 games in which Keane had scored. He equalled Andy Townsend's record for most appearances as Republic of Ireland captain (40) on 26 March 2011 and also scored a goal in the process.
Keane took part in the inaugural Nations Cup for the Republic of Ireland, which took place in February and May 2011. He ended the tournament as top scorer, despite not having played in their first game against Wales. Keane scored three goals in total, two against Northern Ireland in a 5–0 victory, and what proved to be the tournament's winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Scotland. The Republic of Ireland emerged from the competition victorious, having won all three of their games without conceding a goal.
On 4 June 2011, Keane scored twice in a 2–0 away win against Macedonia in qualification for UEFA Euro 2012 to become the first Irish or British player to score more than 50 international goals. Following the game with Macedonia his total stood at 51 goals. He added another two goals in the Republic of Ireland's 4–0 play-off hammering of Estonia in Tallinn which effectively secured qualification for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine to bring his goal tally to 53.
After a disappointing tournament in Poland, Keane brought his international tally to 54, with an 89th-minute penalty against Kazakhstan in the Republic of Ireland's opening World Cup 2014 qualification match. This left the score at 1–1 before Kevin Doyle's goal a minute later secured a winning start to the campaign. On 2 June 2013, Keane scored the third and fourth goals of the game, his 55th and 56th goals for the Republic of Ireland, against Georgia in a 4–0 win.
On 7 June 2013, Keane played his 126th game for the Republic of Ireland and became the new record appearance holder, breaking Shay Given's previous record of 125 appearances. He also scored his second hat-trick of his international career in the same game against the Faroe Islands scoring his 57th, 58th and 59th goals in a 3–0 win for the Republic of Ireland. Keane scored his 60th international goal against Sweden on 6 September 2013, in a 2–1 loss. He went on to score his 61st and 62nd goals for the Republic of Ireland against Kazakhstan on 15 October 2013 in a 3–1 win and against Latvia a month later in a 3–0 victory, both games being played in Dublin.
Keane missed his chance to score his 63rd goal against Costa Rica in Philadelphia on 6 June 2014 when he missed a penalty in a friendly game. He was the highest male international scorer among active players following Miroslav Klose's retirement in 2014. On 11 October 2014, he scored his third international hat-trick, his 63rd, 64th and 65th goals, in a 7–0 European qualifying win against Gibraltar at Aviva Stadium. The treble concluded with a penalty in the 18th minute. This took him to a record 21 goals in European Championship qualifiers, surpassing the 20 by Turkey's Hakan Şükür. He would later extend his tally to 23 goals, although the record was broken by Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo on 10 September 2019.
Keane was selected in manager Martin O'Neill's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016 in what would be his final major tournament appearance for the Republic of Ireland. However, he was restricted to a bench role and only played a total of 23 minutes against Sweden and Belgium respectively.
On 24 August 2016, Keane announced his retirement from international football. His last match for the Republic of Ireland was a friendly against Oman on 31 August 2016 at Aviva Stadium. The Republic of Ireland emerged victorious 4–0 and Keane signed off with a goal to take him level with German great Gerd Müller on 68 international goals. He received a rousing ovation from the assembled crowd when he was substituted in the 57th minute. Keane was also given a guard of honour from his Republic of Ireland teammates after the match had finished and he left the pitch with his two sons to rapturous applause from the home fans.
In March 2018, Keane was appointed player-manager of ATK after Sheringham and his replacement Ashley Westwood were sacked with ATK finishing outside the play-offs. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over NorthEast United on his managerial debut, enough to save them from last place. After contesting the final three matches as player-manager, Keane decided to leave the club at the end of the season.
In November 2018, Keane agreed to act as the assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland national team, under the management of newly-appointed Mick McCarthy.
In June 2019, he accepted the dual roles of assistant manager of Middlesbrough in the Championship and the Republic of Ireland national team. His former teammate Jonathan Woodgate, who had been appointed the manager of the Teesside-based club, offered him the role as part of a refurbished coaching team. On 23 June 2020, Keane left his role as assistant manager after his one-year contract came to an end during the COVID pandemic.
Following the appointment of Stephen Kenny as Republic of Ireland Manager in April 2020, and with two years left on his FAI contract, Keane was stood down as Republic of Ireland Assistant Manager as Kenny brought in his own team. Since Kenny's appointment Keane has remained on the FAI staff payroll, earning €250,000 per annum but without a role, while discussions over his future have continued.
Keane has completed UEFA coaching qualifications, receiving the UEFA PRO licence.
Keane married Xposé presenter and former Miss Ireland contestant Claudine Palmer in Ballybrack on 7 June 2008. They have two sons named Robert (born 10 May 2009) and Hudson (born 5 October 2015).
Keane is a cousin of English singer Morrissey, and has himself been noted for his singing skills. His first cousin is Jason Byrne, the second-highest goalscorer in League of Ireland history. Keane holds a U.S. green card which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes. He achieved his UEFA "A" Licence in January 2016, via the Football Association of Ireland's Coach Education Programme.
Keane stated his support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Ireland ahead of the referendum in 2015.
Keane is an ambassador for the Children's Medical & Research Foundation in Crumlin, Dublin. Accompanied by his LA Galaxy teammates, Keane personally presented the hospital with a cheque for $50,000 from the LA Galaxy Foundation and Herbalife on 18 February 2015.
Keane and his wife Claudine supported the "Our Hospital Heroes" appeal by raising money for front line workers in hospitals across Ireland, by setting up a GoFundme page after a family member was diagnosed with COVID-19 and had to be admitted to hospital. The GoFundme page has raised over €81,000 as of July 2021.
Career Honours
 MLS MVP 2014 L.A. Galaxy |  MLS Cup 2014 L.A. Galaxy | MLS Cup 2012 L.A. Galaxy | MLS Cup 2011 L.A. Galaxy |
 MLS Supporters Shield 2011 L.A. Galaxy |  Football League Cup 2007-2008 Tottenham |
Career Milestones
 MLS All-Star 2015-07-13 |
Former Youth Teams
1996-1997 |
Former Senior Teams
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1997-1999 |
1998-2016 |
1999-2000 |
2000-2001 |
2001 (Loan) |
2001-2002 |
2002-2008 |
2008-2009 |
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2009-2011 |
2010 (Loan) |
2011 (Loan) |
2011-2017 |
2012 (Loan) |
2017-2018 |
Former Club Staff
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2018-2020 Assistant Manager |
2018-2018 Coach |
2019-2020 Assistant Manager |
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