The Tottenham striker looks to have cemented his place in England's squad after a series of goals scored after coming off the substitute's bench. A brace in the qualifying thrashing of Andorra in June was followed the other side of the summer by another pair against Holland. Slovenia were his latest victims and his instinctive strike reflected a striker blessed with confidence. At 26, he has finally arrived as an international player, having made his international debut as far back as 2004.
Since his days as a teen prodigy at West Ham, where he arrived as sixteen-year-old via a controversial move from Charlton, Defoe has been regarded as one of the foremost finishers in the English game. A loan spell at Bournemouth in the old Second Division during the 2000-1 season saw him match a post-war record of scoring in ten consecutive matches and he showed similar qualities when granted his chance by the Hammers. Their relegation in 2002-3 eventually saw him sold the following January to Tottenham where he enjoyed intermittent gluts of goalscoring before eventually losing his place to the partnership of Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov.
A move to Portsmouth in January 2008 proved fruitful in terms of goals before he was then sold back to Spurs twelve months on for a considerable profit. However, as a result of the timing of his moves between the clubs, he missed out on a 2007-8 FA Cup winner's medal with Pompey by virtue of being cup-tied, having previously missed out on Spurs' Carling Cup win the same season despite playing in every round bar the final.
Strengths: A quick-thinking striker who matches a poacher's instinct with a thunderous shot from long range. An impact player from the bench who can profit from tiring defenders.
Weaknesses: Defoe has long been accused of not being able to play a bigger part in holding the ball up and being too selfish in possession.
Career high: Two goals from the subs' bench to secure a draw for England in Holland in August 2009.
Career low: Being omitted from Sven Goran Eriksson's 23-man England squad for Germany 2006.
Style: Pacy, instinctive, self-assured, a confidence player
Quotes: "He looks stronger than I have ever seen him and I have known him since he was 14. He has done a lot of work in the gym in the summer and he looks even more explosive." Harry Redknapp, August 2009
Trivia: Defoe is a one-time paramour of David Beckham's sister Joanne.
Soccernet says: Unlikely to be a starter for England, Defoe can provide a goal threat from the bench. He has supplanted Michael Owen as England's foremost poacher.
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