Hal Robson-Kanu

Reading

Early career

Born in Acton, London, Robson-Kanu began his career at Arsenal as a schoolboy aged 10. He went on to play at Acton Ealing Whistlers for a number of seasons. He was released by the club at 15 and joined Reading after speaking to then Academy manager Brendan Rodgers. After graduating from the Academy he signed his first professional contract in July 2007, penning a two-year deal with the club. The 2007 Peace Cup in South Korea saw Robson-Kanu involved with the Reading senior team for the first time with appearances against River Plate and Shimizu S-Pulse. Steve Coppell's policy of resting first-team players for cup matches saw Robson-Kanu selected on the bench for the first time on 5 January 2008 for the FA Cup third round tie against Tottenham Hotspur, though he remained an unused substitute. Not in contention for a regular place in the Reading first team, Robson-Kanu's first experience of senior football came on 30 January 2008 when he joined Southend United on loan until the end of the season. He made his debut three days later as a second-half substitute in a 2–2 draw away at Leyton Orient and scored his first career goal against Nottingham Forest. He struck twice more in the next two games against Huddersfield Town and Swansea City and returned to Reading with three goals in eight appearances. Robson-Kanu was again involved in the first team during the 2008–09 pre-season, scoring a goal in a 9–0 win over Didcot Town in July. He…

Club

International

Source:

As of match played 27 March 2021 Scores and results list Wales' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Robson-Kanu goal.

Robson-Kanu was born in England to a Nigerian father, and an English mother of Welsh descent. Robson-Kanu initially represented England at international level, making his debut for the under-19 side against Germany in November 2007. He made a second appearance against Croatia the following year before winning one cap for the England under-20s against Montenegro in 2009. In 2010, he switched to Wales, for which he qualifies through his Caerphilly-born grandmother. The switch came about when Welsh coach Brian Flynn came to the Reading training ground to see Simon Church, and Glen Little jested that Robson-Kanu would be eligible for Wales through going on holiday there. Robson-Kanu told Flynn that the family went to Tenby via picking up his grandmother in Caerphilly, and Flynn asked whether she was born in Wales. He was first selected in the Wales under-21s squad for the friendly against Austria on 18 May 2010 and made his debut in a 1–0 defeat. Robson-Kanu's first cap for the senior team came just five days later, coming on as a second-half substitute for Robert Earnshaw in a 2–0 loss to Croatia. He continued to play for the under-21s after his senior debut and made a further three appearances, scoring twice, with his last appearance coming in a defeat to Italy which ended Wales hopes of qualifying for the European Under-21 Football Championships. He scored his first senior international goal on 22 March 2013 in a 2–1 World Cup qualifying win over Scotland at Hampden…

Reading

Football League Championship: 2011–12 West Bromwich Albion

EFL Championship second-place promotion: 2019–20 Individual

BBC Goal of the Tournament – Euro 2016