Nottingham Forest legend Roy Keane reveals the hilarious reason he quit smoking aged just 11

Roy Keane admits he quit smoking after watching the 1982 World Cup and decided he wanted to become a footballer.

The Irishman and former Forest star grew up in Cork and admits he had the odd cigarette even as a youngster. He and his teammates were partial to smoking, but Keane once refused one after opting to make a serious attempt at cutting it as a professional.

The former Manchester United captain revealed the story during The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast. They were asked which World Cup they were favourites, and Gary Neville singled out the 1982 edition, which was hosted by Spain and won by Italy.

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Keane agreed before explaining his smoking twist: “I agree one hundred percent. World Cup ’82, amazing. I remember we used to play football after the evening games. In 1982, I would have been 11 years old. I was with my friends and we were playing football and I had the odd cigarette when I was about 11 years old.”

“I was playing and they said, ‘Do you have this?’ And I remember saying, ‘I’m giving them up, I want to be a footballer, guys.’

His decision proved to be a smart one and after starting his career in Ireland with Cobh Ramblers, Keane moved to England as a teenager. Brian Clough bought him from Forest and later moved to Old Trafford where he enjoyed a trophy-laden career.

In Manchester, he rubbed shoulders with Bryan Robson – England’s 1982 World Cup leader. Several of the home nations were present in Spain before Italy, who had the likes of Dino Zoff and Paolo Rossi in their ranks, claimed victory over Germany from the West. .

Keane, having quit smoking, has remained open-minded about his health throughout his career, especially as he has aged. The Irishman admitted he “looked a bit thin” while following some foreign diet advice which did “more harm than good”.

He said: “I was trying to live and act like an Italian or French player. It was when guys would come out of the dressing room, stretch and eat salads all the time. I was thinking, yes. , maybe I’ll try some of that. Because I only eat bread and potatoes and pasta, I forgot what I was about and what suited me.”