Peter James Crouch is a former professional footballer from England, born on 30 January 1981. He was capped 42 times by the England national team between 2005 and 2010, scoring 22 goals for his country during that time, appearing at two FIFA World Cups. He is one of 33 players to have scored 100 or more Premier League goals and jointly holds the record for the most headed goals in Premier League history. A tall forward with a slender physique, Crouch was known for his aerial abilities, technical abilities, and hold-up play.
Early Life and Education
He was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, but moved with his family to Singapore when he was a year old. This came about after his father Bruce, from Fulham, had accepted a position with a Singaporean advertising agency. The Crouch family spent three years in Southeast Asia before moving back to England when Bruce rejected the chance to work in Australia.
They spent some time at a YMCA in Tottenham before eventually settling in Harrow on the Hill. Roxeth Primary and North Ealing Primary were where Crouch started his education, and he continued playing for Northolt Hotspurs. He was later drafted into the Brentford Centre of Excellence in 1991, and he also played for the boys club West Middlesex Colts whilst attending Drayton Manor High School.
Club Career
Tottenham Hotspur
Peter Crouch began his career at Tottenham Hotspur in 1998, but not in the first team. He was loaned out to Dulwich Hamlet and IFK Hässleholm of Sweden; from the last that he was loaned to he would leave.
QPR and Portsmouth
In 2000, Crouch moved to Queens Park Rangers for £60,000 and scored ten league goals in his first season. QPR got relegated, and he joined Portsmouth for £1.5 million, where he scored 18 league goals in the 2001–02 season.
Aston Villa and Southampton
Aston Villa signed him in 2002 for £5 million. He was loaned to Norwich City, with whom he only played a handful of games because he could not maintain consistency in his game.
In 2004, Crouch joined Southampton, where he played regularly and scored 16 goals in 2004–05, the first time England called him.
In 2005, he was transferred to Liverpool for £7 million. The player enjoyed a very tricky start; then he helped the club win the FA Cup during the 2006 season. He went on to net several crucial matches for both league and European fixtures, among those scoring a treble against Arsenal.
International Career Youth International Success
The international career of Peter Crouch started with the England under-20 team while he represented them in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship. Playing with some good mates like Ashley Cole and Andrew Johnson, the team, however, ended their tournament before the group stages without even a single goal score. Moving on to the under-21 team, Crouch marked his entry into the world of international sports by scoring for the 2002 European Under-21 Championship.
He made his debut for the full England side when Sven-Göran Eriksson was on a visit to the U.S. in May 2005. However, due to initial skepticism from the fans, he had to wait until March 2006 and score an international goal against Uruguay to shut his critics’ mouths.
Euro 2008 Qualifying and Capello Era
Crouch played very well during the Euro 2008 qualifiers, scoring 10 goals in one calendar year. That is a feat few achieve nowadays in football. England missed out on qualification despite his efforts. Under Fabio Capello, Crouch played mostly each game, collecting 22 goals in 42 appearances, with two of those very important in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
World Cup Appearances and Later Years
In the 2010 World Cup, Crouch came in as a substitute but could not get much playing time. Though his opportunities in England decreased after 2010, he was always ready for international action. Although he did not play in UEFA Euro 2012, Crouch said that he was eager to play for England.
What is the playing style of Peter Crouch?
Peter Crouch is a tall forward with a lean body. He was very good on the first touch and a scorer. Despite his height, all those criticisms of Crouch regarding his early career of being the worst at heading, lacking speed, power, and athleticism did prove wrong in the end since he ended up as the Premier League’s record holder for most headed goals. He can notably hold up the ball and link play, a sort of target man or striker.
What is the nickname of Peter Crouch?
Crouch has some well-cherished loving nicknames: Crouchy, RoboCrouch, and creative Crouchinho. The Spanish commentators began to resort to labeling him with nicknames as Pantera Rosa and Mr. Roboto.
Who Made the Robot Dance Famous?
The robotic dance by Crouch became an iconic dance during the summer of 2006, inspired by a party at David Beckham’s house. First used in England’s friendly against Hungary, the celebration was dear to the fans’ hearts. Crouch later retired from the dance, promising to reserve it for big moments. True to his word, he brought it back for his 100th Premier League goal in 2017 to confirm his status as a footballing entertainer.
How many Children does Peter Crouch Have?
In December 2005, at a nightclub, Crouch met Abbey Clancy, who was a model at a nightclub. He married Clancy on 30 June 2011, about six weeks after the birth of their first child. They have two daughters and two sons: Sophia Ruby born in March 2011, Liberty Rose born in June 2015, Johnny born in January 2018; and Jack, born in June 2019.
Charges and Allegations
In August 2012, Crouch pleaded to the charge of driving at dangerous speed from November 2011 and was punished with a total of fines and costs of £1,365. In September 2012, Crouch had his driving privileges revoked for six months and was penalized with 12 penalty points as well. Failing on two instances to give the particulars of his vehicle driver led him to accept fines and costs of £1,585 also.