Roy Keane and Jason McAteer: From Feud to Forgiveness
For football’s toughest characters — like Roy Keane, the no-nonsense Irish enforcer — every match felt like going into battle alongside teammates he trusted with his life. The Cork-born midfielder, now a fiery pundit, was never far from controversy during his playing days and had more than his fair share of on-field rivalries.
Patrick Vieira instantly comes to mind when you think of Keane charging across the pitch with relentless determination. Alan Shearer and Alf-Inge Haaland also made his list of adversaries. But for Keane, such clashes were part of his old-school football philosophy — a reflection of the intensity that defined his Manchester United career under Sir Alex Ferguson.
One of the more personal rivalries was with fellow Irishman Jason McAteer, formerly of Liverpool and Sunderland. Speaking to SPORTbible, McAteer recently revealed that he and Keane have privately reconciled after years of tension. Let’s revisit their long-standing feud and how they finally managed to bury the hatchet.
The Origins of Their Feud
The two Irish midfielders never saw eye to eye, but things truly soured around the 2002 World Cup when Keane famously walked out on the Republic of Ireland squad. From there, their relationship deteriorated completely.
Between 1995 and 2003, they faced each other seven times, but their heated clash during a Manchester United vs Sunderland game in the 2002/03 Premier League season stands out most. A scuffle left both men on the ground, and tensions boiled over as McAteer shouted “F*** off!” before Keane was later sent off for a reckless challenge on his countryman.
In his 2002 autobiography, Keane dismissed McAteer as “too fond of himself, more interested in hair gel and nightclubs than winning matches.” McAteer brushed it off publicly but admitted years later that their relationship remained icy for a long time.
In his own book, Blood, Sweat and McAteer, he revealed they hadn’t spoken for years:
> “People ask if I’d ever want to make up with Roy, and my hand’s always been open. Once, I even held a door open for him at Wembley — he just walked straight past without a word.”
He also recalled bumping into Keane at Football Association of Ireland events where Keane would greet others like Paul McGrath and Ray Houghton but deliberately ignore him. “He’s got his reasons,” McAteer concluded.
Finally Making Peace
Over two decades have passed since the pair last faced off on the pitch. Their final game as teammates came in May 2002 when Ireland lost 2–1 to the Ivory Coast. But according to McAteer, time — and maturity — have healed old wounds.
“Something happened a few months ago,” he revealed, “and I’d like to think we’re in a better place now. It was emotional when we reconnected — I just thought, fifteen years is far too long to hold on to bad blood.”
He added, “We shared great times and tough times. I understand him — he’s a winner, I was a winner — we just showed it differently.”
Roy Keane vs Jason McAteer — Head-to-Head
Season Result Competition
1995/96 Man Utd 2–2 Liverpool Premier League
1995/96 Man Utd 1–0 Liverpool FA Cup
1996/97 Liverpool 1–3 Man Utd Premier League
1998/99 Man Utd 2–0 Liverpool Premier League
1998/99 Man Utd 2–1 Liverpool FA Cup
2001/02 Man Utd 4–1 Sunderland Premier League
2002/03 Sunderland 1–1 Man Utd Premier League
McAteer summed it up best:
> “We shared a dressing room, we shared big moments — like qualifying for the World Cup. I’ve always respected Roy as a player and as a professional. I’m just glad our relationship is finally in a better place.”
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