Photo by Geograph Ireland, CC by 2.0
Despite its relatively small population, Northern Ireland has produced a remarkable crop of footballing talent over the decades.
The 1980s, in particular, saw the nation enjoy a purple patch with memorable World Cup moments and victories in the British Home Championship.
That legacy has continued, with a number of modern-day stars also making their mark on the game. But who are the best Northern Irish football players of all time?
We have selected our greatest six of all-time, with special mentions to the likes of Norman Whiteside, Aaron Hughes, Jonny Evans, Sammy McIlroy and David McCreery, who didn’t make the cut.
6) Danny Blanchflower
Blanchflower was a member of the iconic Tottenham Hotspur team that won the double in the 1960-61 season. The Spurs icon also became a national hero, captaining Northern Ireland to the 1958 World Cup quarter-finals and becoming the country’s first player to earn over 50 caps.
He ended his playing career on April 5, 1964, aged 38, after nearly 400 matches and guiding Spurs to four major trophies as captain.
5) David Healy
The former Leeds United, Preston North End, Sunderland and Fulham striker is his country’s leading goalscorer, with 36 goals in 95 appearances.
Healy played for his country at Under-15, 16, 18 and 21 level before making his full debut in February 2000 – when he scored on his debut against Luxembourg.
The diminutive forward will fondly be remembered by his countrymen for scoring the winner against England in a World Cup Qualifier at Windsor Park in 2005.
Later that year, Healy also scored three goals against Spain in September 2006 and remains the only Northern Ireland player to score more than one hat-trick in two separate games.
4) Gerry Armstrong
The scorer of Northern Ireland’s most famous goal had to be on the list and Armstrong has a place in his country’s folklore after scoring at the World Cup.
The 25th of June, 1982 will be a date that all Northern Ireland fans (of a certain age) will remember, with Armstrong firing home the winning goal against Spain in Valencia.
Fifth in his country’s leading scorer list and 22nd in the appearance list, that goal helped earn the striker a move to La Liga side Real Mallorca.
3) Steven Davis
The Rangers midfielder is comfortably his country’s leading appearance maker, with 140 matches and 13 goals for Northern Ireland.
Born in Ballymena, Davis made his international debut against Canada in February 2005 and retired from international duty just last year at the age of 39, due to injury.
The former Aston Villa and Southampton ace has received an MBE for services to football to go with his accolade of being the most-capped North Irishman.
2) Pat Jennings
Northern Ireland have had some very good goalkeepers over the years – Maik Taylor, Roy Carroll and Harry Gregg to name a few – but Pat Jennings was a class apart.
The shot-stopper was one of very few players to play for both Tottenham and Arsenal and the man from Newry made over 750 club appearances – he also played 119 times for his country.
Regularly described by the over-60 fans by one of the greatest goalkeepers of all-time, Jennings kept 45 clean sheets for NI between the years of 1964 and 1986.
He also helped his country to twice win the British Home Championship in 1980 and 1984.
1) George Best
Commonly described as one of the greatest players of his generation, George Best would be right at the top of most people’s list of greatest Northern Ireland stars.
There is no doubting his football genius and the real shame for Northern Ireland fans is that they only got to see him play 37 times for his country.
Best made his international debut in 1964 and played his last game for Northern Ireland in 1997, but never got to play at a major tournament.
In those 37 appearances, the Manchester United legend bagged nine goals in total, with four of those coming in one game against Cyprus.
