While you were sleeping: Australia down (under) Türkiye thanks to former Dundalk FC underage keeper and Scotland win first World Cup game for 38 years dlvr.it/TT29Zw
48* of my heroes. The third choice goalkeepers at the 2026 World Cup. Starring a man who plays in the LOI, another who played with Dundalk u19s, an amateur, men with over 100 caps, men with no caps. Enjoy
balls.ie/football/the-luckie…
Wrote about Norway's last World Cup game and what was the first World Cup fixture I attended. Rang a phoneline to book ticket and paid for it in French Francs Sent a fax to a hotel in Marseille to book a bed for the weekend. Different times!
Norman Whiteside's record of being the youngest player ever to feature in a World Cup match - 17 years 41 days, Northern Ireland vs Yugoslavia in 1982 - is safe
If Gilberto Mora, the only 17 year old at the 2026 tournament plays for 🇲🇽 tomorrow he will be 199 days older than him
Reporting from Guadalajara 40 years ago this week on the Brazil v Northern Ireland game, Peter Byrne wrote in The Irish Times: ‘Josimar swung his boot 25 yards out and Jennings felt every one of his 41 years, as the ball swerving in the air sped past him into the roof of the net’
Win the game. Do not pass into the play-offs. Go directly to the World Cup.
That is the prize for Ireland (and indeed France) in Grenoble on Tuesday night with a victory in their final Brazil 2027 World Cup group qualifier.