Northern Ireland has a fine tradition of playing international football. Some top players have represented the country at international level. Here are Northern Ireland’s top ten record appearance makers:
Steven Davis (140 caps from 2005 until 2022)
The former Southampton midfielder enjoyed a 17-year career at international level, making a record 140 appearances and scoring 13 goals.
Davis made his international debut against Canada on 9th February 2005. He made history on 21st May 2006, when he became the youngest player to captain his nation at just 21 in a 1-0 loss to the USA.
🙌🏻 Tonight @StevenDavis8 is set to become our most-capped player of all time. What a servant he has been and continues to be! #Davis120 #GAWA 💚 pic.twitter.com/WPmoRGjxKF
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) October 8, 2020
The midfielder won the Irish Football Association International Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016.
Pat Jennings (119 caps from 1964 until 1986)
Jennings is goalkeeping royalty in the British game—some would say one of the best the British game has ever produced. He was just 18 years old when he made his debut international in a 3-2 win over Wales in a Home Nation game.
@ghrnews Northern Ireland and Tottenham Hotspur’s legendary goalkeeper Pat Jennings has statue unveiled in Newry, NI. #PatJennings #TottenhamHotspur #Spurs #Football #Newry #NorthernIreland #LedleyKing
Jennings produced outstanding displays at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, conceding just one goal in his team’s three group matches.
However, their second-round opponents, France, were in particularly ruthless form, firing home four goals past the then-veteran keeper to send them out of the competition.
The former Tottenham and Arsenal stopper came out of retirement to play at the 1986 World Cup, making history by becoming the oldest player to ever feature in the competition at 41.
Jennings’ last game for his country, in fact, came on his 41st birthday, as his team suffered a 3-0 group stage defeat to Brazil.
Aaron Hughes (112 caps from 1998 until 2018)
The much-travelled defender enjoyed an international career that spanned two decades. Hughes made his debut for his nation on 25th March 1998 against Slovakia.
He earned the honour of captaining Northern Ireland four years later and only lost the captaincy due to his absence through injury.
Hughes made history on 4th June 2016 in a pre-Euro2016 friendly against Slovakia, as he became the first outfield player to earn a century of caps for Northern Ireland.
Jonny Evans (107 caps from 2006 until the present day)
The centre-back has enjoyed a highly successful club career and has also served his country with great distinction at international level, picking up 107 caps and scoring six goals.
Evans was part of Northern Ireland’s Euro2016 squad, their first major tournament since participating in the 1986 World Cup. He helped his team to the knockout stages of Euro2016, but they were defeated 1-0 by Wales to exit the competition.
In 2023, Evans was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the Northern Irish game.
David Healy (95 caps from 2000 until 2013)
The Manchester United youth product became the focal point of the Northern Ireland attack for much of his international career, scoring 36 goals in 95 appearances for his country. He is his country’s record-all-time goalscorer.
Healy made his Northern Ireland debut at just 20 in February 2000, bagging a brace against Luxembourg.
One of the most memorable goals of his international career came in a 1-0 win over neighbours England in World Cup 2006 qualifying. The victory was Northern Ireland’s first over the Three Lions since 1972.
Mal Donaghy (91 caps from 1980 until 1994)
The defender made his Northern Ireland debut in May 1980, as his team recorded a 1-0 victory over Scotland in a Home International Nations game.
MAL DONAGHY
The former @LutonTown @ManUtd & @ChelseaFC Full Back and one of Northern Ireland’s finest pic.twitter.com/O8SavPJQWz— FootballRetroPlus (@robertmdaws) March 20, 2024
Donaghy went on to win 91 caps for his country, representing Northern Ireland at both the 1982 and 1986 World Cups.
Kyle Lafferty (89 caps from 2006 until 2022)
The much-travelled forward made his Northern Ireland debut against Uruguay on 21st May 2006. He opened his scoring account for his national team against Finland the following year.
Lafferty scored 20 international goals in 89 appearances. The highlight of his Northern Ireland career was scoring seven goals in qualifying for Euro2016, sending his nation to its first international tournament in two decades.
Sammy McIlroy (88 caps from 1972 until 1986)
The former Manchester United midfielder won 88 caps and scored five goals in a 14-year international career. He made his international debut in February 1972 against Spain, while his last appearance for his country came against England in 1986.
McIlroy played in all of Northern Ireland’s 1982 and 1986 World Cup games, the latter of which he was the team’s captain.
Maik Taylor (88 caps from 1999 until 2011)
The German-born goalkeeper made an impressive 88 appearances for Northern Ireland over a 12-year international career despite no actual familiarity connection with the nation. However, despite having no link with the country, he proudly represented Northern Ireland.
Strangely, Taylor made his international debut for Northern Ireland under-21 team as an overage player in 1998 against Germany. He was 27 at the time of his appearance. However, he didn’t make his senior debut until the following year.
Taylor’s last international appearance for Northern Ireland came on 11th October 2011, against Italy.
Keith Gillespie (86 caps from 1995 until 2008)
The winger came through the famous Manchester United youth ranks but only made nine top-flight appearances for the Red Devils. However, Gillespie’s international debut came in September 1994 against Portugal in a 2-1 debut while still with United.
Despite making 86 appearances for Northern Ireland, the winger scored just two goals for his national team. He made his last appearance for his country against Hungary in a 2-0 home defeat in November 2008.
Are any of the players on our list your favourite players to have played for Northern Ireland?
