Defoe made his debut for England U21 on May 24, 2001.

Defoe made his senior debut for England on March 31, 2004.

Defoe scored a goal against Slovenia in the 2010 World Cup finals, helping England reach the last 16.

Defoe scored his first hat-trick for England against Bulgaria in a UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier.

Defoe dated Joanne Beckham, sister of David Beckham, in the early 2000s.

Defoe's half-brother, Jade Defoe, died of head injuries following an assault in Leytonstone, London, on April 24, 2009.

Defoe's father, Jimmy Defoe, died after a long battle with throat cancer on June 7, 2012.

Defoe befriended Bradley Lowery, a terminally-ill six-year-old fan with neuroblastoma, while playing for Sunderland AFC. Lowery died on July 7, 2017.

Defoe was named Personality of The Year at the North East Football Writer's Association’s annual awards in 2017.

Defoe was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to the Jermain Defoe Foundation.

Defoe made his professional debut for West Ham United in 2000 and played for the club until 2004, scoring 29 goals in 93 appearances.

Defoe had a season-long loan spell at AFC Bournemouth during the 2000–01 season, scoring 18 goals in 29 appearances.

Defoe joined Tottenham Hotspur in February 2004 and played for the club until 2008, scoring 43 goals in 139 appearances.

Defoe played for Portsmouth FC from 2008 to 2009, scoring 15 goals in 31 appearances.

Defoe returned to Tottenham Hotspur in 2009 and played for the club until 2014, scoring 48 goals in 137 appearances.

Defoe played for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2014, scoring 11 goals in 19 appearances.

Defoe played for Sunderland AFC from 2015 to 2017, scoring 34 goals in 87 appearances.

Defoe returned to AFC Bournemouth in 2017 and played for the club until 2018, scoring 4 goals in 28 appearances.

Defoe joined Rangers FC on loan in 2018 and later signed a permanent deal. He played for the club until 2022, scoring 25 goals in 54 appearances.

Defoe re-signed for Sunderland AFC on a short-term deal until the end of the 2021–22 season.

Defoe returned to Tottenham Hotspur as an under-18s coach and club ambassador in August 2022. He left the role in July 2024 to concentrate on a managerial career.

Born on October 7, 1982, in Canning Town, East London, Defoe started playing football at a young age. He became captain of his school team at the age of six and attended a football camp at Bisham Abbey, which led to his inclusion in the National FA school.

Defoe played for youth clubs like Senrab FC and Charlton Athletic before joining West Ham United at the age of 16.

Jermain Defoe was born on 7 October 1982, marking the beginning of a life that would be deeply intertwined with football.

Defoe joined West Ham United's youth team at the age of 14 and made his professional debut in the 1999-2000 season, though he did not make any appearances in the Premier League that year.

Defoe was loaned to AFC Bournemouth in the 2000-01 season, where he scored 18 goals in 29 appearances, showcasing his potential as a striker.

Defoe moved to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2004, marking the start of a successful period in his career where he would become one of the club's top scorers.

Defoe made his debut for the England national team in 2004, beginning a career that would see him make 57 appearances and score 20 goals for the country.

The 2009-10 season was particularly notable for Defoe, as he scored 24 goals for Tottenham Hotspur, including a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Hull City and five goals in a 9-1 thrashing of Wigan.

Defoe moved to Toronto FC in Major League Soccer in 2014 but returned to England in January 2015 to sign for Sunderland, where he would spend several seasons and help the club avoid relegation.

Defoe joined Scottish side Rangers in 2018, initially on loan, before making the move permanent. He played a crucial role in the club's 2020-21 league title win, the first league title of his career.

Defoe returned to Sunderland in 2021 but announced his retirement from professional football in 2022, ending a career that spanned over 20 years and included numerous achievements.