Former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane had one of football’s most iconic celebrations, and he’s now shared the story of exactly how it came to be.
Keane started his professional career at Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1997, netting 29 goals in just over two seasons, before securing a move to Coventry City and a brief stint in Inter Milan. After finding his stride upon returning to England with Leeds United in 2000, a £7 million deadline day transfer saw him make the switch to Spurs.
During career-defining six seasons at White Hart Lane, Keane scored 107 Premier League goals in 254 appearances, culminating in a 23-goal haul during the 2007–08 season — earning him the League Cup and cementing his status as club legend. A dream move to Liverpool followed in 2008, but it lasted only six month before he returned to the North London club he considered home.
Spells at Celtic, West Ham, LA Galaxy, Aston Vill and ATK left the charismatic Irishman with 325 goals in 737 appearances across a career spanning 21 years.
But Robbie Keane’s indelible mark on football was not the goals he scored, but what came after. The cartwheel, roll and gun celebration is considered one of the most iconic in the sport. It stands on its own, rarely imitated and never performed with such grace.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s ‘Presents’ podcast, Keane shared the origin of his celebration.
“My mate John.”
The former Republic of Ireland captain went on to explain.
“We were kids, just messing on the street. Four or five [years old], playing on the street.
We used to play against different roads, you know, and I was just messing one day, scored and just did a cartwheel, and he says to me: ‘If you make it as a football player, you have to do that’.
So that’s where it came from and then, obviously, I extended it with roll and the gun.”
Internationally, Keane is Ireland’s all-time record holder with 68 goals in 146 caps and served as captain from 2006 until 2016. After a final spell with ATK in India, Keane retired in 2018, transitioned into coaching and is currently managing Ferencváros in Hungary’s top flight.
Robbie Keane’s legacy endures as one of Ireland’s most treasured players — a poacher in the box, a leader on the pitch, and a professional whose career spanned three continents, inspiring a generation to do cartwheels in the playground.
