On this day (31st August 2016) Robbie Keane brought down the curtain on his illustrious international playing career. His last match for Ireland was a friendly against Oman at the Aviva Stadium and the then 36-year-old signed off with a goal in a 4-0 win to bring him onto 68 international goals. A statistic that placed him level on goals with the legendary German striker Gerd Müller. His final goal was pure Robbie Keane. Jonathan Walters knew instinctively where Keane would be when he helped on Robbie Brady’s header. Keane teed himself up with a flick and then volleyed the ball into the net with his right foot before reprising his trademark cartwheel-somersault celebration. Substituted in the 57th minute, he was given a rousing reception as he made his way off the pitch, later followed by a post-game guard of honour by his teammates.
Keane’s achievements in the green shirt were truly remarkable considering Ireland’s previous top scorer to Keane was Niall Quinn with 21 goals!
He made his debut on 25th March 1998 in an away match against the Czech Republic, and scored his first senior international goals (a brace) against Malta at Lansdowne Road on 14th October 1998.
He featured in the 2002 World Cup Finals, netting three goals. The memorable late equaliser against Germany, the volleyed finish against Saudi Arabia (both in the group stages) and a penalty in the second-round game versus Spain. Keane is one of only twelve players to have scored in three consecutive FIFA World Cup Finals matches.
Keane surpassed Niall Quinn as Ireland’s top scorer when he scored two against the Faroe Islands (his 22nd and 23rd goals) on 13th October 2004. He played and scored in the infamous 2010 World Cup play-off with France (which Ireland lost 2-1 on aggregate after THAT handball by Thierry Henry enabled the William Gallas goal).
He won his 100th cap in a prestigious friendly against Argentina at the revamped Lansdowne Road (Aviva Stadium) on 11th August 2010, and on 4th June 2011 he scored his 50th (and 51st) international goals in a European Championship Qualifier against Macedonia. In the 4-0 play-off win against Estonia in Tallinn he scored two goals to effectively secure qualification for Euro 2012.
On 7th June 2013, Keane played his 126th game for his country in World Cup qualifying match against the Faroe Islands and became the record appearance holder (beating Shay Given’s previous record of 125 appearances). In the same game he bagged a hat-trick and moved on to 59 international goals.
When Miroslav Klose retired after the 2014 World Cup Final, Keane was the highest international goal scorer among active world players. He was also briefly the record goal scorer in European Championship qualifiers (before being overtaken by Christiano Ronaldo). He played in his final international tournament in Euro 2016 (featuring in the games against Sweden and Belgium).
His record of 146 games and 68 goals is untouchable. Impressively he scored in every one of his nineteen calendar years playing for Ireland (1998-2016). For one of Ireland’s greatest ever players he arguably does not get the credit that he deserves.
With his natural ability, bundles of energy and sharp eye for goal, “Keano” loved playing for Ireland and he certainly loved scoring goals for Ireland too (with his trademark celebration!). His commitment was never in question as he always showed up for us. He played with a boyish enthusiasm, and a love for football which still burns bright in him. Reflecting on his Ireland career he said, “As a young boy growing up in Dublin playing football on the street, I could never have imaged the path my life would take. It has exceeded my wildest expectations.” Former Ireland Manager Martin O’Neill perhaps summed Keane up best after he played his final game for his country, “He is undoubtedly one of Ireland’s finest ever players and I do not see his international goal record being beaten for a very long time, if ever. It will take us some time to get over his absence.”
We are still getting over the absence of such an ace striker. With Ireland currently crying out for a regular goal scorer, how we wish we could use a Robbie Keane in his prime today.
