Troy Parrott has described the past week as a once-in-a-lifetime, fairy-tale spell — and for good reason. Called up to the Republic of Ireland squad at the start of the international window, the 23-year-old striker went from squad member to national hero in six days, producing performances that sent Ireland into the World Cup play-offs.
First came a shock 2-0 victory over Portugal in which Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card dominated headlines. Parrott stole the show, however, by scoring both goals. A few days later at the Puskás Aréna he produced an even more dramatic display: he equalised twice, then rifled home a 96th-minute winner as Ireland came from behind to win 3-2 against Hungary. Dublin Airport even cheekily renamed itself “Troy Parrott International Airport” on social media to celebrate his exploits.
Two matches, five goals. The sequence has kept alive Ireland’s hopes of reaching the World Cup and has rewritten the narrative around a player once viewed mainly as a Tottenham youth prospect who had not yet fulfilled early promise. Parrott’s hat-trick in Hungary was the first competitive treble for an Ireland player since Robbie Keane in 2014 and the first competitive hat-trick by an Irish player in an away match. He also became only the fourth Irishman to score two or more goals in consecutive internationals, joining Jimmy Dunne (1936), Robbie Keane (2013) and Callum Robinson (2021).
Early years and Spurs pathway
A Dublin native who began at Belvedere, Parrott moved to Tottenham’s academy in 2017 at the age of 15 and signed professional terms two years later. He made his senior debut in a Carabao Cup tie against Colchester in September 2019 and featured sparingly in the Premier League under José Mourinho, but opportunities were limited — in part because he was training alongside England captain Harry Kane.
That lack of first-team minutes led to a series of loan moves designed to give him regular football.
Loans and the decision to move abroad
Parrott endured five loan spells while still contracted to Spurs, four in England. A move to Millwall in August 2020 was disrupted by injury and yielded 14 appearances without a goal. He then spent time at Ipswich Town in League One (18 appearances, 2 goals) and had season-long loans at MK Dons (2021/22) and Preston North End (2022/23). At MK Dons he played a key role in their run to the play-offs and scored in the semi-final second leg, although the club lost on aggregate. Another frustrating stint at Preston meant a more significant change was needed.
That change came with a loan to Excelsior in the Netherlands, which proved transformative. Freed from the intense pressure he had felt on prior loans, Parrott rediscovered his joy for the game. At Excelsior he focused on being in the right areas and finishing chances — improvements that paid off. He scored 17 goals in all competitions (10 in the league) and even netted hat-tricks in both the semi-final and final of the relegation play-offs, despite the club ultimately being relegated.
Career record (all competitions)
Tottenham – 4 apps, 0 goals
Millwall (loan) – 14 apps, 0 goals
Ipswich (loan) – 18 apps, 2 goals
MK Dons (loan) – 47 apps, 10 goals
Preston (loan) – 34 apps, 4 goals
Excelsior (loan) – 32 apps, 17 goals
AZ Alkmaar – 61 apps, 33 goals
Breakthrough at AZ Alkmaar
Parrott’s form in the Netherlands earned him a permanent move away from Spurs in the summer of 2024, reportedly for about £6.7m, joining AZ Alkmaar. He has spoken with gratitude about his time at Tottenham but says the transfer to AZ gave him the platform to demonstrate his abilities week after week at a club competing in Europe.
At AZ he has been a consistent goalscorer. In 2024/25 he finished with 14 goals in 30 Eredivisie appearances — the third-highest tally in the league — including four goals in a 9-1 win over Heerenveen. The following season began explosively: 10 goals in seven games across all competitions before a knee injury in late August interrupted his momentum. Since returning from injury he has added more goals and helped AZ challenge near the top of the table alongside Ajax. Parrott is contracted at AZ until 2029, but his recent international form has prompted speculation about a Premier League return.
International resurgence and what lies ahead
Before the November internationals Parrott had five goals in 31 caps and had scored just once for Ireland since 2022. His two matches during the break doubled that tally and delivered the decisive moments that have revived belief among supporters. While he has at times been guilty of wasting chances in green, the recent run suggests his club rhythm and international performances are beginning to click.
Parrott admits the night in Hungary may be his finest so far, but the play-offs — and the possibility of reaching a World Cup — still lie ahead. Riding a wave of confidence, both he and Ireland will hope these memorable nights are just the start of something bigger.