Northern Ireland national football team - Definition and Overview

Northern Ireland

Nickname	-
Association	Irish Football Association
Coach	Lawrie Sanchez, 2004-
Most caps	Pat Jennings (119)
Top scorer	David Healy (14)
Home colours 　 Away colours
First International Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; February 18, 1882) Northern Ireland 0 - 2 Scotland (Belfast, Northern Ireland; February 26, 1921)
Largest win Northern Ireland 7 - 0 Wales (Belfast, Northern Ireland; February 1, 1930)
Worst defeat Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; February 18, 1882) England 9 - 2 Northern Ireland (Manchester, England; November 16, 1949)
World Cup
Appearances	3 (First in 1958)
Best result	Quarterfinals, 1958
European Championship
Appearances	none (First in -)
Best result	-

Northern Ireland national football team'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.

Northern Ireland also qualified for the 1982 World Cup, reaching the second round after beating Spain, the hosts 1-0. In the 1986 World Cup, they reached the first round. 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 0-1 victory in a friendly over Estonia, with a largely experimental side, in March 2004.

The Northern Ireland team is effectively the successor to the all-Ireland national football team that existed until 1920. The Republic of Ireland national football team was created when the Irish Free State came into being, but the Northern Ireland team continued to pick players from across the whole of Ireland until the practice was stopped by FIFA in 1950.

World Cup record

• 1930 to 1938 - Did not enter
• 1950 - Did not qualify
• 1954 - Did not qualify
• 1958 - Quarter-finals
• 1962 to 1978 - Did not qualify
• 1982 - Round 2
• 1986 - Round 1
• 1990 to 2002 - Did not qualify

European Championship record

• 1960 - Did not enter
• 1964 to 2004 - Did not qualify

Famous players

• George Best
• Martin O'Neill

External links

• RSSSF archive of international results 1882- (http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nil-intres.html)