JUST IN: Nottingham Forest Star Made A Shocking Statement About His Life

NOTTINGHAM FOREST LEGEND ROY KEANE REVEALS HILARIOUS REASON HE QUIT SMOKING AAGED JUST 11

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

The Irishman and former Forest star grew up in Cork and confesses to having the odd cigarette, even as a youngster. He and his mates were partial to having a smoke but Keane once turned one down after opting to make a serious go at cutting it as a professional.

The ex-Manchester United captain revealed the story whilst on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast. They were quizzed on which World Cup was their favourite and Gary Neville highlighted the 1982 edition, which was hosted by Spain and won by Italy.

Keane concurred before he explained his smoking U-turn: “100 per cent agree. ’82 World Cup, amazing. I remember we used to play football after the games in the evening. In 1982, I would have been 11. I was with my friends and we were playing football and we’d have the odd cigarette when we were about 11.”

“I was playing and they went: ‘Are you having this?’ And I remember going: ‘I’m giving them up. I’m giving them up. I want to be a footballer. I’m giving them up, lads’.”

His decision proved to be a shrewd one and, after beginning his career in Ireland with Cobh Ramblers, Keane made the move to England whilst he was a teenager. Brian Clough bought him to Forest and he later moved to Old Trafford, where he enjoyed a trophy-laden career.

In Manchester he rubbed shoulders with Bryan Robson – England’s leading light at the World Cup in 1982. 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 West Germany.

Keane, after calling it quits with the smoking, remained open-minded when it came to his health throughout his career, especially as he aged. The Irishman has admit he “was kind of gaunt-looking” as he took on some foreign dieting advice that did “more harm than good.”

He has said: “I was trying to live and act like an Italian or a French player. It was when the lads were coming out of the dressing room, they were doing stretches and eating salads all the time. I was thinking, ‘yeah, maybe I’ll try some of that’. Because I was just eating bread and potatoes and pastas; still having a half-decent diet. I forgot what I was about. I am Irish. I like a bit of rubbish. That is what suited me.”