Northern Ireland is a major challenge for top-ranked national and Olympic teams.
Northern Ireland sits at the bottom of the FIFA world rankings, occupying 79th place, trailing about 57 spots behind Italy and 27 spots behind Wales, though it slightly edges out Bosnia by about eight positions.
As for the Olympic football team, it falls within the rankings provided by continental confederations and global participation, but it suffers from a noticeable decline closely linked to the level and results of the senior national team, as youth teams are viewed as the continuation and future of the primary squads.
Regarding the senior football team, manager Michael O’Neill finished the World Cup qualifying matches in third place behind Germany and Slovakia. However, the team managed to secure a place in the final tournament matches through the Arab League competitions, thanks to successes achieved through the UEFA Nations League.
In contrast, the national teams of Italy, Wales, and Bosnia achieved similar results, as each finished second in their respective groups behind Norway, Poland, and Austria, respectively, and were limited to their campaigns in the first round of the qualifiers.
The Northern Irish team now aims to reach its first major event since 2016, when it exited the European Championship in the following round at the hands of a Wales team that later reached the semi-finals under Chris Coleman. The team looks forward to making up for the past thanks to the experience and management of its current coach.
It is noted that national team coach Michael O’Neill has held his position for several years and is currently in his second stint leading the team after a hiatus; he was at the helm when the team participated in its last continental championship.
In recent statements regarding his team, Liverpool’s Craig Bellamy said: “Over the past years, they had something special and were able to define their identities. They have a wonderful manager whom I like very much.”
He added: “I was lucky enough to spend some time with him as well, and I like him. It is no wonder his players are achieving good results. Although they won’t be playing at home against Italy, I believe they will be comfortable in any situation you put them in.”
He continued: “Italy will face great pressure, especially since they failed to qualify for two World Cups. If I were Italy during today’s match, with everyone expecting me to win, I would be nervous. I wouldn’t be comfortable.”
He concluded his remarks by saying: “Italy is one of the greatest nations in football, and this places a great responsibility on their shoulders. When facing a Northern Ireland team like this, I would take a conservative stance and only think about getting through this match and seeing what happens in others’ matches.”
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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