Who is Kasey McAteer? Ireland star on upbringing and idolising Jamie Vardy

Irish Daily Mirror

7 hours ago

Kasey McAteer will never forget his magical moment last Friday, when he spun and drilled home his first ever goal in international football.
The Leicester City winger is still only 23 years of age but he has already achieved a lot in the game, including a first Premier League goal and a breakthrough for Ireland.
Reflecting on his time so far in the game, there have been plenty of pinch-me moments for the youngster who joined the Leicester City academy at the age of just eight.
He was a regular at Foxes matches - and even took on the role of ball boy - as he watched Jamie Vardy score goal after goal during an incredible 13-season career at the club.
'It means everything, it's like a dream come true playing for this club,' he told the Leicester City website. 'It's all I've ever wanted to do since I was a kid.
'I remember I was 13, 14 watching Vards (Jamie Vardy) play and score goals in the Premier League and now I've sat opposite him in the dressing room. It's quite surreal when you think about it in that sense.'
McAteer was just eight years old when he was snapped up by the Leicester City Academy.
He is quick to pay tribute to his parents for their roles in his success.
'My mum and dad would make four or five trips a week when I was a boy, from the age of nine to when I was about 14,' he said. 'That was five years of their life they were sacrificing to bring me after work.
'They gave up a lot and, when I left home, it was a sad moment for me. My dad told me that he had a little cry. But they knew to look at the bigger picture and that it was about giving me the opportunity.
'I always say that my dad was my first ever coach and I would like to say me moving paid off. They (my parents) do tell me how proud they are and hopefully I can keep making them proud.'
He was one of a number of academy players to graduate to the first-team.
'There's so many that have come through the Academy; myself, Luke [Thomas], Hamz [Hamza Choudhury], Kiernan [Dewsbury-Hall], who has obviously moved on, and Ben Chilwell,' he said.
'You can see that there is a pathway because, in recent years, the club has done really well in bringing young players through and long may that continue.'
During his time at Leicester, he had loan spells at Forest Green Rovers (2021/22) and Wimbledon (2022/23). He scored his first Premier League goal in their win over Ipswich Town in May.
McAteer was originally targeted by Stephen Kenny, but his paperwork didn't come through until after Heimir Hallgrímsson's appointment.
With an Offaly grandmother and a Belfast grandfather, and with Kenny's fondness for skillful and speedy wingers, once his eligibility was known, efforts were made to bring him into the fold.
His first call-up came for the Nations League games at home to England and Greece last September - Hallgrímsson's first games in charge.
He made his debut off the bench against England and was capped three more times, before McAteer was handed his first start last Friday night in the 1-1 draw with Senegal.
He opened the scoring and afterwards described his goal as 'a dream come true.'
'I'm over the moon, I think you can tell by my celebrations – it was like a dream come true,' he told RTE.
'It was my first night here at the Aviva – hopefully many more to come – but good to get myself on the scoresheet.
'Shame we couldn't hold on for the result to get the win, but Senegal are a really good team and we'll take it in our stride.'
McAteer added: 'The main thing is to get this country to the World Cup and that's our aim. Every friendly game we need to build and hopefully we'll get ourselves there in the future.'