Troy Parrott has become the name on every Irish fan's lips after a dramatic week that could shift the country's football fortunes. His last-minute winner against Hungary sealed a 3–2 comeback in Budapest and pushed Ireland into the World Cup qualifying play-off, their closest shot at the tournament since 2002.
The goal capped a hat trick on the night and followed two earlier strikes against Portugal, lifting the 23-year-old into rare territory for an Irish international.
According to reports, Parrott called it 'what dreams are made of,' and given the scale of the moment, it was hard to disagree. However, behind the emotion sits a story of setbacks, detours and a career reshaped abroad, raising a question that now seems impossible to ignore: how did a once-struggling academy prospect become the player leading Ireland's charge towards a long-awaited World Cup?
Who Is Troy Parrott?
Parrott is a 23-year-old striker from Dublin's north inner city, first spotted at Belvedere FC, which marked his rise with pride when he left the club to join Tottenham Hotspur at 16.
According to reports, Mauricio Pochettino was impressed enough to involve him in first-team training early, and by the summer of 2019, Parrott was starting preseason matches with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. He made his senior debut that September in a League Cup match, and three months later, under José Mourinho, he made his Premier League appearance.
However, his early promise became entangled in loan spells at Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons, and Preston, with injuries adding further hurdles. Spurs extended his contract, but momentum had slowed.
The shift came in August 2023 when he joined Excelsior Rotterdam on loan and rediscovered his scoring touch, finishing the season with 19 goals. That return earned him a move to AZ Alkmaar for around €8 million.
According to a sports analyst, at AZ, Parrott has found consistent form, scoring 20 league goals in the past season-plus, and describing his first year there as the 'best year of my life so far in football.' He has also said he has 'loved every second' of his time in the Netherlands, even as speculation grows about bigger clubs watching him.
His mother summed up the emotions after the Portugal match by saying, 'I actually thought I was in a dream,' she told RTÉ, recalling how the family cried and jumped around before hugging him on the pitch.
A Defining Night in Budapest
All that hard work and consistency paid off when Ireland's win in Budapest hinged on Parrott's goal in the 90+6 minute, the strike that turned a frantic contest into a statement of intent.
Earlier, he had opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 15th minute and then levelled the match with a looping chip in the 80th. The victory moved Ireland into second place in Group F, securing the play-off route they needed to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Parrott's reaction was raw on Irish television. 'This is what dreams are made of. I don't think I'll ever have a better night in my life.' His family felt the same. His mother, Jennifer, told RTÉ that he was still processing everything when she met him after the match, admitting she and the rest of the family had been in tears watching the scenes unfold.
The Hungary result followed his two goals in Ireland's 2–0 win over Portugal days earlier, creating a surge of momentum around a player whose international form has arrived at the perfect moment.
Ireland's World Cup drought has stretched for more than twenty years, and hope has often faded at the final hurdle. However, with Parrott in this sort of rhythm, fans are saying that belief has returned in the country.
