Tallaght’s Robbie Keane celebrates a goal for Ireland
Robbie Keane scores famous World Cup goal on this day in 2002
THIS day 23 years ago saw one of the most iconic moments in Irish football take place.
The venue was the Kashima Stadium in Japan. Ireland were playing Germany in the group stages of the World Cup and were resiliently battling away till the dying end, despite being 1-0 after a Miroslav Klose strike in the first half.
As the injury time ticked on, Mark Kinsella picked up the ball in his own half, not even in his position he found himself at right back.
He leathered the ball up to a towering Niall Quinn who was lurking just outside the German’s penalty box.
Quinn jumps, wins the ball and knocks it down into the box for a 21-year-old Robbie Keane from Tallaght to run on to. The rest is history.
Celebrations were manic as Keane whirled away from the goal and performed the signature cartwheel somersault sending the Irish fans in Japan and at home into a frenzy.
The strike would be the first of just three goals that Germany would concede throughout the entire tournament. The other two coming in the final against Brazil’s Ronaldo.
Not bad company for Tallaght native Robbie Keane.
Keane would find himself as a hot commodity that summer after his performances in the green jersey and would be sold by Leeds to Tottenham Hotspur.
Keane would go on to play over nine seasons for Spurs over his career finishing with 306 appearances for the club and 122 goals across all competitions.
