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The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international football. In such events, the constituent nations of the UK compete separately. The independent Republic of Ireland has its own team. Before 1921, all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the team represented the entire island.

Current campaign

Northern Ireland are currently seeking qualification to the finals of the Euro 2008 competition. They were seeded in the sixth pot. Northern Ireland were ranked 75th in FIFA's World Rankings as of July 2006.

Past performances

Northern Ireland's best World Cup performance was in their first appearance in the competition, the 1958 World Cup, where they reached the Quarter-finals after beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the play-off. They were knocked out by France, losing 4-0. In the 1958 competition Northern Ireland became the smallest country to have qualified for the World Cup, a record that stood until Trinidad & Tobago qualified for the 2006 World Cup.

Northern Ireland also qualified for the 1982 World Cup, again reaching the quarter finals after topping the first stage group, having beaten Spain, the hosts 1-0. In the 1986 World Cup, they reached the first round. Billy Bingham, a member of the 1958 squad, was manager for both of these tournaments. They have not qualified for any other World Cups. The side have yet to participate in their first European Championship finals.

Northern Ireland were the last winners of the now defunct British Home Championship held in 1984.

Current coach Lawrie Sanchez was appointed in January 2004 after a run of 10 games without a goal. The previous manager was Sammy McIlroy. That run ended after his first game in charge, a 1-4 defeat to Norway in a friendly in February 2004. The run of 16 games without a win ended after his second game, a 1-0 victory in a friendly over Estonia, with a largely experimental side, in March 2004.

On 7 September 2005 Northern Ireland achieved arguably their best victory in recent times by beating England 1-0 in a 2006 World Cup Qualifier at Windsor Park. David Healy scored the winner in the 73rd minute.

History

The Northern Ireland team is the successor to the all-Ireland national football team that existed before the formation of the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland) in 1921. The team selected by the Irish Football Association (based in Belfast, Northern Ireland) continued to claim to represent (and pick players from) all of Ireland even after the partition. A rival Ireland team was set up by the Football Association of Ireland (based in Dublin, Irish Free State) in 1926 which also claimed to represent all of Ireland, however this team was not recognised by the Home Nations and instead looked overseas for competition.

It took until 1946 for the boundaries to be sorted out, and it was not until 1954 that the IFA's team became known as 'Northern Ireland' (though it took many more years for the name to fall into popular usage), while the FAI's team became known as the 'Republic of Ireland' (often called simply 'Ireland' or 'the Republic' in popular usage).

Stadium

Northern Ireland play their home matches at Windsor Park, home of Linfield F.C., which they have use of on a one hundred year lease, part of which gives Linfield 15% of the gate receipts for all home internationals.

There is currently speculation of building a national stadium for Northern Ireland at the disused Maze prison outside Lisburn for the use of Rugby, Gaelic games and football. This unpopular plan has been given an "in principle" go-ahead by the Irish Football Association. However, it is opposed by fans, over 95% of whom in a match day poll in 2005 preferred to stay at a smaller new or redeveloped ground in the city of Belfast. The Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters' Clubs organised a protest against the move to the Maze at the game against Estonia in March 2006.

Popular culture

Since the defeat of England in 2005 there has been an increase of national pride in the team. Tongue-in-cheek songs such as "We're not Brazil, we're Northern Ireland" (sung, ironically, to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic) and 'It's Just Like Watching Brazil' are popular at home matches.

Unionists are more likely than nationalists to support the Northern Ireland team, with the latter often for political reasons giving their support to the Republic's team instead. However it is not unknown for Northern Ireland supporters to adopt the Republic of Ireland as their second team when they are not in direct competition with Northern Ireland, and supporters of the Republic often reciprocate, and support Northern Ireland.

World Cup Finals record

European Championship Finals record

Notable players

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Strikers

Managers

Current squad

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Strikers

External links

Northern Ireland national football team | European national football teams | Football in Northern Ireland

Nordirische Fußballnationalmannschaft | Selección nacional de fútbol de Irlanda del Norte | Équipe d'Irlande du Nord de football | Nazionale di calcio dell'Irlanda del Nord | נבחרת צפון אירלנד בכדורגל | Ziemeļīrijas futbola izlase | Noord-Iers voetbalelftal | サッカー北アイルランド代表 | Reprezentacja Irlandii Północnej w piłce nożnej | Seleção Norte-Irlandesa de Futebol | Pohjois-Irlannin jalkapallomaajoukkue | Nordirlands herrlandslag i fotboll | 北愛爾蘭足球代表隊

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Northern Ireland national football team".

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