Jermain Colin Defoe (born 7 October 1982), to a St. Lucian mother and Dominican father, Defoe attended St Joachim Primary School in Custom House and St Bonaventure's Catholic Comprehensive School in Forest Gate, London. He joined the Sunday league team Senrab, well known in London for producing players such as Lee Bowyer, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Ledley King, and then joined the FA National School of Excellence at Lilleshall, Shropshire, as a 14-year-old in 1997. While he was there he attended Idsall School.

Defoe began his career with Charlton Athletic, joining their youth team at age fourteen, before moving to West Ham United aged sixteen, and rising through the ranks. He made his professional debut for West Ham in 2000, and after a season-long loan spell at Bournemouth during the 2000–01 season, established himself in the West Ham lineup. A move to Tottenham in 2004 soon followed, and Defoe also spent a year at Portsmouth after he was deemed surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane, but he returned to Tottenham in the January 2009 transfer window. He is currently the eighth highest goalscorer in Tottenham history. Defoe made his England debut in 2004 and to date has made 52 appearances, scoring 17 goals.

Defoe started the 2012–13 season in great form. He scored on the opening day of the season against Newcastle United during a 2–1 defeat. On 16 September, Defoe scored two goals to give Spurs the points in their 3–1 win over Reading and a week later, he scored the winning goal to secure a 2–1 win over Queens Park Rangers. Defoe scored the 200th goal of his club career in the 4–2 defeat to Chelsea on 20 October. On 8 November, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 win against NK Maribor in the UEFA Europa League. Defoe overtook Teddy Sheringham in the club's all time goalscorers list after his hat-trick against Maribor. Defoe made his 350th Premier League appearance in the 1–0 win over Swansea City on 16 December.