Kevin Doyle - International Career

International Career

Doyle has played for the Republic of Ireland U21 team, making his debut on 2 February 2004 against Portugal. With 11 caps, and scoring six goals making him joint top scorer at that grade, he was also a member of the Irish FIFA World Youth Championship squad in 2003. Scored against Colombia

He was called up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad in October 2005, making his full international debut against Sweden at Lansdowne Road on 1 March 2006. His first start in a competitive international was against Germany on 2 September 2006 in a Euro 2008 qualifier. With this appearance, his family also won a €100 bet at 100/1 they had placed two years earlier on Doyle playing competitively for Ireland.

Doyle scored his first goal for Ireland against San Marino in November 2006. He was then named the official Football Association of Ireland Young Player of 2006 on 4 February 2007, also receiving a nomination for the senior award.

His second goal came in a 1–0 victory over Slovakia at Croke Park in March 2007. He also scored against Ecuador on 23 May 2007 securing a valiant 1–1 draw against the South Americans, and he scored his best goal for Ireland, with a long-range left-foot shot into the top corner to the keeper's right, in a 2–2 draw against Slovakia on 9 September 2007 in the 2008 European Championships qualifying game in Bratislava. His fifth international goal and fourth in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign came away to Wales as Ireland drew 2–2.

During 2010 World Cup qualifying, Doyle established himself as Robbie Keane's ideal strike partner in the national team's attacking quartet that included Damien Duff and Aiden McGeady. He played in 8 of the 10 games, scoring two goals, including the first in a 2–1 win in the opening game against Georgia. He also scored against Cyprus, his seventh international goal, in a 2–1 win in Nicosia. In the absence of Robbie Keane, Shay Given and other players who had been allowed to return to their clubs, Doyle captained Ireland for the first time in a friendly against South Africa on the 8 September 2009.

Doyle was nominated as the Football Association of Ireland Player of the Year for 2007 and won the award in 2009, as well as for Goal of the Year for his goal against Slovakia in September 2007. Doyle scored his ninth international goal, and first in 2012 European Championships qualification, against Andorra at the Aviva Stadium on 7 September 2010. On 6 February 2011, Doyle was named Republic Of Ireland Player of the Year for 2010, while he also earned the Goal of the Year award for Ireland, for his superb strike in last September's Euro 2012 qualifier against Andorra.

Doyle was sent off against Armenia on 11 October 2011. He reached 50 international caps against Italy at UEFA Euro 2012.

In the first game of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group C, Ireland were in a bad way against Kazakhstan, the team ranked 142nd in the world. Ireland were 1-0 down with 89 minutes gone. Doyle came off the bench to assist with the equalising goal (a Robbie Keane penalty) and then scored the winner himself! His reward was being named captain in an international friendly against Oman four days later, the second time he would captain his country. He scored again in that game!