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At first glance, it may seem unexpected for former Tottenham and England player Jermain Defoe to have his own documentary in the current age of constant streaming events. He was never able to achieve the same level of fame as his fellow England teammates Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, nor did he gain the same beloved status in the public eye as Peter Crouch, who was his teammate at both Portsmouth and Tottenham. However, Defoe’s story, as described here, is somewhat of a rags-to-riches journey commonly seen among footballers in the modern era, though his early success as a schoolboy may have been more notable than others.
Defoe offers a disarming kind of honesty, mulling over the effect on his life of his largely absent father who, it appears, spent much of his time in a West Ham United-adjacent boozer, and expanding on his admiration for his unswervingly loyal mother. He also touches on a personal life that can only be described as “colourful”, suggesting that a need to not be seen as dependent left him something of a commitmentphobe, to put it mildly. (Even the undignified public scuffle over a failed paternity test gets a mention, with Defoe adamant he was delighted to be a father, as he thought he was going to be.) It is, however, his connection with Bradley Lowery, the six-year-old Sunderland supporter with neuroblastoma who died in 2017, that perhaps elevates Defoe’s story towards some kind of sense of redemption; it’s not too softhearted to agree that, yes, Lowery was the child Defoe has not yet had himself.
Overall, Defoe is portrayed positively in this film. As a top-level athlete, he is known for his intense focus and drive, making self-reflection rare. However, Defoe’s vulnerability sets him apart and makes him a more relatable figure. Although the film may seem like a promotional tool for Defoe’s potential career in management, it also reveals his desire for a deeper purpose in life beyond football. “It’s more than just kicking a ball,” he shares, highlighting the emotional toll his career has taken on him.
Source: theguardian.com
