Jermain Defoe made his first-team debut for West Ham United in September 2000, in a League Cup second-round first leg at Walsall, and scored the only goal of a 1-0 win. Born Jermain Colin Defoe on 7 October 1982 in Beckton, east London, he was a striker whose professional career ran from 2000 to 2022 and took him through Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Toronto FC, Sunderland, AFC Bournemouth and Rangers. He scored 162 Premier League goals and won 57 caps for England, scoring 20 times.
Early years and West Ham
Defoe grew up playing Sunday league football for Senrab, the east London club that has produced a long line of professionals. In 1997 Charlton Athletic enrolled him at the FA’s National School of Excellence at Lilleshall, and he stayed on Charlton’s books until 1999, when he moved to West Ham. He was part of the academy side that won the Premier Academy League in 1999-2000, and his debut goal at Walsall followed a few months later.
Ten in a row at Bournemouth
To gain senior experience, West Ham loaned him to third-tier AFC Bournemouth for the 2000-01 season. He scored in ten consecutive matches, equalling the post-war English record shared by John Aldridge and Clarrie Jordan, and finished the loan with 18 league goals in 29 appearances. Back at West Ham he broke into the first team and remained there until February 2004.
Tottenham, Portsmouth and back
Tottenham Hotspur signed him in February 2004 for an initial £6 million, and he scored on his debut in a 4-3 home win over Portsmouth. He was named the club’s Player of the Year in 2004. In January 2008 he joined Portsmouth for a reported £7.5 million and again scored on his first appearance, a 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Having played for Spurs in that season’s League Cup, he was cup-tied for the final, which Tottenham won; he was presented with a winner’s medal in December 2018. A year after leaving, Defoe returned to White Hart Lane, with the move confirmed on 9 January 2009. On 22 November 2009 he scored five goals in a 9-1 win over Wigan Athletic, including a hat-trick in seven minutes, and in April 2011 he became the 20th player to reach 100 Premier League goals. Across his two spells he scored 143 goals for Tottenham in all competitions.
Toronto, Sunderland and Bournemouth again
In January 2014 Toronto FC announced his signing, effective from 28 February. He scored twice on his MLS debut, a 2-1 win at Seattle Sounders on 15 March 2014, and ended the year with 11 league goals in 19 appearances. On 16 January 2015 he joined Sunderland in a deal that sent Jozy Altidore to Toronto. He scored 15 Premier League goals in 2015-16 and another 15 in 2016-17, although Sunderland’s relegation was confirmed in April 2017. That June he returned to AFC Bournemouth on a free transfer.
Rangers and the Scottish title
On 6 January 2019 Defoe moved to Rangers on an 18-month loan and scored on his debut against Kilmarnock later that month. A pre-contract agreement was announced in January 2020 and he signed permanently that summer. Rangers won the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership, and he left the club with 32 goals in all competitions. On 31 January 2022 he went back to Sunderland on a short-term deal, and he announced his retirement on 24 March 2022.
England
Defoe was capped at under-16, under-18 and under-21 level before his senior debut in March 2004, as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat to Sweden. He missed out on Euro 2004 and in 2006 was only on the standby list for the World Cup. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa he played three matches and scored the only goal against Slovenia on 23 June, the win that took England into the last 16. His 20th and final England goal came in a 2-0 win over Lithuania on 26 March 2017.
Honours and coaching
His honours include the League Cup with Tottenham in 2007-08 and the Scottish Premiership with Rangers in 2020-21. He was appointed OBE in the 2018 Birthday Honours for his work with the Jermain Defoe Foundation, which he set up in 2013. In August 2022 he rejoined Tottenham as club ambassador and academy coach, a role he left in July 2024. Woking appointed him head coach on 29 March 2026, his first managerial job, and he left the National League club by mutual consent on 23 July 2026 after 116 days in charge.
