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Northern Ireland national football team
*** Shopping-Tip: Northern Ireland national football team
{{National football team |
Name = Northern Ireland |
Badge = Northern ireland national football team logo.jpg |
Nickname = Green & White Army,
Norn Iron|
Association =
Irish Football Association |
Coach =
Lawrie Sanchez,
2004- |
Most caps =
Pat Jennings (119) |
Top scorer =
David Healy (footballer) David Healy (19) |
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=|
leftarm1=32CD32|body1=32CD32|rightarm1=32CD32|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=32CD32|
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=32CD32|socks2=FFFFFF|
First game = Ireland 0 - 13
England national football team England(
Belfast,
Northern Ireland Ireland;
February 18,
1882) |
Largest win = Ireland (IFA) 7 - 0
Wales national football team Wales(
Belfast,
Northern Ireland;
February 1,
1930) |
Largest loss = Ireland 0 - 13
England national football team England(
Belfast,
Northern Ireland Ireland;
February 18,
1882) |
World cup apps = 3 |
World cup first = 1958 |
World cup best = Quarterfinals,
Football World Cup 1958 1958 |
Regional name =
European Football Championship European Championship |
Regional cup apps = none |
Regional cup first = - |
Regional cup best = -
}}
The '''Northern Ireland national football team''' represents
Northern Ireland in international
football (soccer) football. In such events, the
constituent nations of the
United Kingdom UK compete separately. The independent
Republic of Ireland has its
Republic of Ireland national football team 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
2008 European Championship (qualifying) qualification to the finals of the
Euro 2008 competition. They were seeded sixth, but can reasonably hope to finish fourth in their group, and may even challenge for a qualification place.
''2006''
:Northern Ireland v
Iceland national football team Iceland (2 September)
:Northern Ireland v
Spain national football team Spain (6 September)
:
Denmark national football team Denmark v Northern Ireland (7 October)
:Northern Ireland v
Latvia national football team Latvia (11 October)
''2007''
:
Liechtenstein national football team Liechtenstein v Northern Ireland (24 March)
:Northern Ireland v
Sweden national football team Sweden (28 March)
:Northern Ireland v Liechtenstein (22 August)
:Latvia v Northern Ireland (8 September)
:Iceland v Northern Ireland (12 September)
:Sweden v Northern Ireland (17 October)
:Northern Ireland v Denmark (17 November)
:Spain v Northern Ireland (21 November)
Past performances
Northern Ireland's best
Football World Cup World Cup performance was in their first appearance in the competition, the
Football World Cup 1958 1958 World Cup, where they reached the Quarter-finals after beating
Czechoslovakia national football team Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the play-off. They were knocked out by
French national football team France, losing 4-0.
Northern Ireland also qualified for the
Football World Cup 1982 1982 World Cup, again reaching the quarter finals after beating
Spain national football team Spain, the hosts 1-0. In the
Football World Cup 1986 1986 World Cup, they reached the first round.
Billy Bingham 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 Football Championship 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
Norwegian national football team 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 national football team 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
Football World Cup 2006 2006 World Cup Football World Cup 2006 - European Qualification Groups Qualifier at
Windsor Park.
David Healy scored the winner in the 73rd minute.
Since then Northern Ireland have been beaten at home against Wales in an exciting match which ended 3-2. A few weeks later they were beaten 2-0 by Austria away from home and but still finished fourth in their group. This result is a huge achievement for such a small country with a limited amount of professional players to choose from.
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 of Ireland 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). Even then, it was not until
1950 for the rules to be changed, ensuring that only players from Northern Ireland could in competitive matches for the IFA's team and that only players from the Republic could play for the FAI's team (until 1950, both teams had at least in part drawn on players selected from across the island, a practice still carried out by the FAI until the end of the century).
In 2002, Northern Ireland captain
Neil Lennon left the team after receiving a death threat from
Ulster Loyalist loyalists opposed to his association with
Celtic F.C. and his calls for a single all-
Ireland side.
Stadium
Image:Windsor_Park_football_stadium_-_Empty.JPG thumb|300px|right|Windsor Park - a view from the Kop Stand, showing the two-tiered North Stand and the low Railway stand behind the opposite goal
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 (HM Prison) Maze prison outside
Lisburn for the use of
Rugby Union Rugby,
GAA 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 successful protest against the move to the Maze at the game against
Estonia in March 2006.
Popular culture
Northern Ireland's football team has been something of a running joke among locals, who famously never miss an opportunity to mock themselves. However, 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 national football team Brazil, we're Northern Ireland" (sung, ironically, to the tune of
Battle Hymn of the Republic) and 'It's Just like watching Brazil', poke fun at both Northern Ireland's rather poor record and the inability of teams to defeat them.
Unionists (Ireland) Unionists are more likely than
Irish nationalism 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 would often recipricate, and support Northern Ireland.
World Cup Finals record
*
Football World Cup 1930 1930 to
Football World Cup 1938 1938 - ''Did not enter''
*
Football World Cup 1950 1950 - ''Did not qualify''
*
Football World Cup 1954 1954 - ''Did not qualify''
*
Football World Cup 1958 1958 - Quarter-finals
*
Football World Cup 1962 1962 to
Football World Cup 1978 1978 - ''Did not qualify''
*
Football World Cup 1982 1982 - Round 2 (Quarter Finals)
*
Football World Cup 1986 1986 - Round 1
*
Football World Cup 1990 1990 to
Football World Cup 2006 2006 - ''Did not qualify''
European Championship Finals record
*
1960 European Football Championship 1960 - ''Did not enter''
*
1964 European Football Championship 1964 to
2004 European Football Championship 2004 - ''Did not qualify''
Notable players
Image:Northern Ireland wall of heros.JPG thumb|300px|right|The wall of heros ouside Windsor Park
Goalkeepers
*
Roy Carroll
*
Harry Gregg
*
Pat Jennings
*
Iam McFaul
*
Jim Platt
*
Maik Taylor
*
Tommy J. Wright Tommy Wright
Defenders
*
Danny Blanchflower
*
Jackie Blanchflower
*
Johnny Carey
*
Mal Donaghy
*
Aaron Hughes
*
Alan McDonald (footballer) Alan McDonald
*
John McClelland (footballer) John McClelland
*
Terry Neill
*
Sammy Nelson
*
Chris Nicholl
*
Jimmy Nicholl
*
Pat Rice
*
Gerry Taggart
*
Nigel Worthington
Midfielders
*
George Best
*
Billy Bingham
*
Steven Davis (footballer) Steven Davis
*
Peter Doherty (footballer) Peter Doherty
*
Keith Gillespie
*
Neil Lennon
*
Sammy McIlroy
*
David McCreery
*
Peter McParland
*
Ian Stewart (Irish footballer) Ian Stewart
*
Bryan Hamilton
*
Martin O'Neill (footballer) Martin O'Neill
*
Michael Hughes (footballer) Michael Hughes
Strikers
*
Billy Gillespie
*
Gerry Armstrong (footballer) Gerry Armstrong
*
Derek Dougan
*
Iain Dowie
*
Billy Hamilton (footballer) Billy Hamilton
*
David Healy (footballer) David Healy
*
Norman Whiteside
*
Joe Bambrick
*
Colin Clarke
Managers
*
Peter Doherty (footballer) Peter Doherty (
1951-
1962)
*
Bertie Peacock (
1962-
1967)
*
Billy Bingham (
1967-
1971)
*
Terry Neill (
1971-
1975)
*
Dave Clements (
1975-
1976)
*
Danny Blanchflower (
1976-
1979)
*Billy Bingham (
1980-
1994)
*
Bryan Hamilton (
1994-
1998)
*
Lawrie McMenemy (
1998-
1999)
*
Sammy McIlroy (
2000-
2003)
*
Lawrie Sanchez (
2004-present)
Current squad
Goalkeepers
*
Roy Carroll
*
Michael Ingham
*
Maik Taylor
Defenders
*
Chris Baird
*
Tony Capaldi
*
Stephen Craigan
*
Mike Duff
*
Aaron Hughes
*
Gareth McAuley
*
Brian McLean
*
Colin Murdock
Midfielders
*
Chris Brunt
*
Steven Davis (footballer) Steven Davis
*
Stuart Elliott
*
Keith Gillespie
*
Damien Johnson
*
Grant McCann
*
Jeff Whitley
Strikers
*
Warren Feeney
*
David Healy
*
James Quinn (footballer) James Quinn
*
Andy Smith
*
Ivan Sproule
*
Peter Thompson
*
Steve Jones (footballer) Steve Jones
External links
-
Fermanagh Northern Ireland Supporters Club
-
Irish Football Association - Northern Ireland Football official site
-
Northern Ireland Supporters Fanzine
-
RSSSF archive of international results 1882-
-
''Pacemaker'' with photographs of Northern Ireland both recent and past
{{Football in the United Kingdom}}
{{Football Ireland}}
{{fb start}}
{{International Football}}
{{UEFA teams}}
{{fb end}}
Category:European national football teams
Category:Football in Northern Ireland
de:Nordirische Fußballnationalmannschaft
es:Selección nacional de fútbol de Irlanda del Norte
fi:Pohjois-Irlannin jalkapallomaajoukkue
fr:Équipe d'Irlande du Nord de football
he:× ×‘×—×¨×ª צפון ×?×™×¨×œ× ×“ בכדורגל
ja:サッカー北アイルランド代表
nl:Noord-Iers voetbalelftal
pl:Reprezentacja Irlandii Północnej w piłce nożnej
sv:Nordirlands fotbollslandslag
zh:北愛爾è˜è¶³ç?ƒä»£è¡¨éšŠ
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