Roy Keane: I Used to Smoke Regularly Before the Age of 11 and Decided to Quit for a Professional Football Career

In a recent episode of a show produced by Manchester United legend Roy Keane and his former teammate Gary Neville, Keane revealed that he used to smoke regularly before the age of 11 but decided to quit after watching the 1982 World Cup with the goal of becoming a professional player.

As an old teammate, Neville asked Keane a rather mundane question, hoping Keane would reveal when he fell in love with football. Keane disclosed that it was during the 1982 World Cup, “The scene of Bryan Robson scoring that goal is unforgettable for me. I watched the match after school, and from then on, I was 100% in love with football.”

Keane then revealed that he was a “fan” of cigarettes before the age of 11, “The 1982 World Cup was fantastic. I remember going out to play football with my friends after the matches. That year, I was 11 years old, and I used to play football and smoke with my friends.”

However, after the 1982 World Cup, Keane made up his mind to quit smoking to pursue a professional career, “I remember vowing that I had to stop smoking. I wanted to become a professional player, so quitting smoking was a must!”

According to his previous autobiography, Keane also used to drink excessively, but after retiring, he revealed that he had successfully quit drinking, “My life now is without alcohol, women, and all kinds of distractions. However, there is one bad habit I have, which is a sweet tooth.”