The popular Irish striker enjoyed two spells at White Hart Lane, playing for Spurs between 2002 and 2008, and again between 2009 and 2011.
It is always a bittersweet occasion when an iconic player announces their retirement from professional football.
Fans, pundits and peers will club together to remember the player’s career and relive their moments, which are often joyous, but there is always sadness at seeing them hang up their boots.
This week, another legend of the game has decided to call it a day – the illustrious playing career of former Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane has come to an end.
Granted, the Irishman is 38 years old and has just taken up a role within Mick McCarthy’s Republic of Ireland setup, so it was not that much of a surprise.
However, it’s still sad to know that the nation’s record goalscorer and a Premier League fixture throughout the 2000s will no longer feature as a professional player.
“Today, after 23 wonderful years, I am formally announcing my retirement as a professional footballer,” Keane said in a statement quoted by BBC Sport.
“From Crumlin United around the world to the likes of Milan, London and Los Angeles, I could never have imagined the path my football life would take.
“It has exceeded all the hopes I had as a football-mad boy growing up in Dublin.”
Keane enjoyed two spells as a player with Spurs, scoring a total of 120 goals in 298 appearances for the north Londoners.
Following Keane’s announcement, a number of Tottenham fans took to Twitter to pay tribute to their former marksman:
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