What’s a World Cup without the teams from Ireland? Standard operating procedure
"Football always seems the most important of the least important things." Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool Mgr.
If you pay attention to and support Irish soccer every four years when the World Cup comes around, find another team to follow. Ireland is out. So is Northern Ireland.If you're unfamiliar with the intensity of Irish fans, think Portland when the Blazers made those deep playoff runs.
The last time Ireland made it to the World Cup finals was 24 years ago. Hopes of making it to this year’s 48-team tournament ended in Prague last Thursday. The national team of the Czech Republic (Czechia) sent the Irish squad back to Dublin with a come from behind, overtime win that left the Boys in Green and their fans feeling “gutted.”
This year’s World Cup games will be played in the USA, Canada and Mexico beginning June 11 and ending on July 19th. Ireland’s eleven looked like they would make it past Czechia and move one game closer to coming here, but ultimately made fewer penalty kicks than the Czechs did and now must spend the summer playing meaningless “friendly“ matches.
Not making it to the World Cup has become a habit for Ireland. In 2010, a couple of casual World Cup fans having a pint at Kells asked the bartender if Ireland would be in that summer’s tournament in South Africa. “No,” said the publican, “what with the economy being so depressed in Ireland, they couldn’t afford to send a team.”
Funny. Sad. Not true.
Five takeaways from the casual supporter’s perspective
YOUTH
Ireland’s team is young. Troy Parrot (25) scored in Prague and had a tremendous few games on the way to the play offs. “I’m proud of the team that I’m a part of it, and every person that supported us as well. I’m just really gutted we couldn’t do it for everyone. Thank you, stick with us, it’s times like this I’m so happy where I come from.” The only player over 30 is co-captain Seamus Coleman from Donegal. He turns 38 any day now. “It would have been great to get to America and get back to the World Cup, just disappointing not to get back to it and have done more for the lads.” Coleman may keep playng for Ireland rather than retire as the team heads into future tournament play.
FUTURE
Before it can fully move on, Ireland must play a consolation game this Tuesday in Dublin against North Macedonia, which also lost last Thursday. Tickets are cheap. RTE reports, “There’s the concern that Tuesday’s game could have the biggest discrepancy between tickets sold and actual attendance." The national broadcaster is in a "Come On Ireland" mood, “That’s where the fans might have to step up again. Friendlies against Grenada, Qatar and Canada will be an opportunity for Hallgrimsson to bring players in and get a proper look at them in a low stakes environment.”
LEADER
Ireland’s manager will be back for at least two more years. Heimir Hallgrimsson has renewed his contract to lead the squad through the Euro championships in 2028. The dentist from Iceland is a positive guy “...not planning for the World Cup now but planning ahead." The consensus from the Examiner,“Progress has been halted for now but progress has very definitely been made. Even in the shadow of so much disappointment. Hallgrimsson could cling to that.”
MOVIE
The last time Ireland played in the World Cup finals, they made a movie about it. The year was 2002 but the movie wasn’t released until 2025. It’s called Saipan for the island where the team from Ireland trained before the games in Japan and South Korea. If you want to understand Ireland’s passion for its national team, watch this movie. It never made it to the big screen in America, but it’s $4.99 to watch on one of those streaming services. Roy Keane, “the greatest Irish footballer ever,” is feuding with manager Mick McCarthy and it can be brutal. (For the record, despite the controversy, Ireland had a decent World Cup, barely losing to Spain in the knock-out round. The other Keane, Robbie, had 3 goals in that World Cup.)
PRAYER
Here’s further proof that World Cup soccer in Ireland has a firm hold on the populace. The Catholic Church in Ireland authorized this Prayer for the National Team. (In the book Red Mist: Roy Keane & the Football Civil War, Conor O’Callaghan informs us the prayer was published by one of the tabloids as a Cut Out-and Save feature.)
Dear Lord you gave us football to enjoy healthy and friendly rivalry
Take care of our Irish team as they travel to Japan and Korea
May they represent their country with pride and distinction
Help them to play to the best of their God-given abilities
Let our team be supported by our prayers for their success
St. Patrick, patron of Ireland, watch over our team, protect them
from injury, keep their sprits high, their eyes keen and their feet swift
Give them the strength to tackle every challenge as they journey
towards their goal
Let them return to our country, safely, with honor
And if it be pleasing to you, God, with the World Cup, Amen.