Robbie Keane

Robbie Keane (born July 8, 1980 in Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish football player, who currently plays as a striker for Tottenham Hotspur and the Republic of Ireland.

International career

For such a young man, Robbie Keane has already achieved much in the international arena.

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He was part of the "golden generation" of Irish youth football of the late 1990s. Under the guidance of the current senior manager, Brian Kerr, the unfancied Irish won the UEFA U-17 and U-19 European championships in 1998, and Robbie was part of the victorious U-19 side. In 1999, he played at the World Youth Cup in Nigeria, where the Irish reached the quarter-finals before going out on penalties to the hosts.

Related Topics:
Brian Kerr - World Youth Cup - Nigeria

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He made his first senior appearance for the Republic of Ireland against the Czech Republic in Olomouc in March 1998, scoring his first senior goal against Malta in October that year.

Related Topics:
Republic of Ireland - Czech Republic - Malta

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Keane has recently become the Republic's top goalscorer at international level; his 25 goals in 60 games (his most recent against Israel in June 2005) surpass Niall Quinn's record of 21. Given that he is likely to continue at the international level for many more years, he is on track to set a record that will be difficult to ever beat.

Related Topics:
Israel - 2005 - Niall Quinn

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He had a brilliant 2002 World Cup campaign in the Far East, scoring three goals in Ireland's four games. His most famous goal to date is arguably the injury-time equaliser against Germany in the 2002 World Cup, although his last-minute equaliser against Spain from the penalty spot was equally as dramatic.

Related Topics:
2002 World Cup - Germany - Spain

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In the current campaign (as at July 2005) to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, Keane has scored four goals in Ireland's eight matches.

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