born in beckton, greater london, defoe attended st joachim primary school in custom house, london and st bonaventure's in forest gate, london. defoe grew up in canning town and when his family moved to beckton, played five-a-side football at newham leisure centre. 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 there, he attended idsall school. he was born to a dominican father and his mother is of saint lucian descent.