Rangers striker Jermain Defoe addresses doubters and admits he forgot about landmark

Jermain Defoe knows he was being written off in some quarters this season after being sidelined by injury and then being left out of Rangers’ Europa League group stage squad.
Jermain Defoe celebrates with Ianis Hagi and Joe Aribo after putting Rangers 2-0 up against Livingston at Ibrox on Sunday. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)Jermain Defoe celebrates with Ianis Hagi and Joe Aribo after putting Rangers 2-0 up against Livingston at Ibrox on Sunday. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)
Jermain Defoe celebrates with Ianis Hagi and Joe Aribo after putting Rangers 2-0 up against Livingston at Ibrox on Sunday. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

But the 38-year-old striker delivered the perfect response by scoring his 300th club career goal as the Ibrox club went six points clear of Celtic at the top of the Premiership with a 2-0 win over Livingston on Sunday.

Defoe admits he had forgotten he was on the verge of that landmark moment but never had any doubts he would reach it.

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“I have always believed I could score goals, even as I have got older,” he said. “Sometimes it is good when people say ‘Oh, can he still do it?’ because you find that fire inside you.

“Not to prove people wrong, but it is always nice to show people that you can still do it and still score at this level.

“I always approach every game like it is the last game or a cup final. Before the game I actually forgot about being on 299, which is a good thing. If I was thinking about it during the game, maybe the goal wouldn’t come or you’d snatch at a chance. When they reminded me afterwards that it was my 300th goal, I was delighted. I enjoyed it a lot.”

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