Roy Keane reveals he quit smoking at ELEVEN after 1982 World Cup convinced him he wanted to be a footballer
ROY KEANE has revealed that he used to smoke – but he quit the habit aged 11.
The 52-year-old former Republic of Ireland captain was born and grew up in Cork.
That was before he got his big move to England with Nottingham Forest to play under Brian Clough in his late teens.
From there he caught the eye of Sir Alex Ferguson, and the rest is history.
Keane became the most-successful skipper in Manchester United’s history after they forked out a then British-record £3.75m for him in 1993.
He lifted 17 trophies during his 12 years at the club before ending his playing days at Celtic with a title and League Cup double.
Keane is regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation but he may not have had quite the same engine if he had continued smoking.
During a recent appearance on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by SkyBet, that he and his childhood pals used to enjoy the “odd cigarette”.
However, that all changed when he watched the 1982 World Cup on TV and it inspired him to become a footballer.
The revelation came when podcast host, and ex-United team-mate, Gary Neville read out a question from a viewer that said: “What tournament did you fall in love with football?”
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He firstly answered it himself, saying: “1982 World Cup. Bryan Robson scoring the goal. I remember getting home from school and watching it.”
That’s when Keane jumped in, saying: “100 per cent agree. ’82 World Cup, amazing. I remember we used to play football after the games in the evening.
“In 1982, I would have been 11. I was with my friends and we were playing football and we’d have the odd cigarette when we were about 11.
“I was playing and they went: ‘Are you having this?’ And I remember going: ‘I’m giving them up. I’m giving them up. I want to be a footballer. I’m giving them up, lads.’”
Keane had a cheeky grin throughout his recollection and it left Neville and fellow panellists Jill Scott and Arsenal icon Ian Wright in stitches.
The 1982 World Cup was one to forget for our home nations.
How does smoking increase your risk of lung cancer?
SMOKING cigarettes is the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer.
It’s responsible for more than seven out of 10 cases, according to the NHS.
Tobacco smoke contains more than 60 different toxic substances, which are known to be carcinogenic.
If you smoke more than 25 cigarettes a day, you are 25 times more likely to get lung cancer than someone who does not smoke.
Frequent exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke – known as passive or secondhand smoking – can also increase your risk of developing lung cancer.
Aside from cigarettes, the following products can also put you at risk of the disease:
- Cigars
- Pipe tobacco
- Snuff (a powdered form of tobacco)
- Chewing tobacco
- Cannabis (especially when mixed with tobacco)
Source: NHS
Scotland were dumped out in the group stage while both England and Northern Ireland went out in the second phase.
The Republic of Ireland, like Wales, failed to even qualify.
Italy forward Paolo Rossi stole the show as he secured the Golden Boot.
And his goals helped the Azzurri to lift the World Cup trophy as they defeated West Germany 3-1 in the final at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
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