Throughout its history, Ireland has produced some of the best players in the world. Irish players have always had the toughness, discipline, and work ethic that made them unique. Some might not have been that talented, but these Paddies have all died on the pitch for Ireland and their clubs.
Football isn’t what it used to be. A lot of people are complaining about players becoming soft. That’s why we’ve decided to mention some of our best aces that have never let us down and always did their best on the pitch.
Roy Keane
An absolute legend that played for Manchester United and won tons of titles. If you ask people who aren’t football fans to mention one Irish player, they will probably say – Roy Keane. Keane was a fantastic player, but he also had a temper.
Even though he made outstanding contributions to the national team, he was involved in a controversy during the 2002 World Cup when he had a fallout with former manager Mick McCarty. Even though he was sent home from the 2002 World Cup, Keane capped 67 appearances for the national team.
Liam Brady
Brady is a truly unique Irish player. First of all, he is mainly remembered for his club achievements. On the other hand, he is one of the rare Irish players that found his home in Italy’s Serie A. He played there for many years for Ascoli, Sampdoria, Inter, and Juventus.
He won 2 Serie A titles with Juventus and played for Arsenal, winning an FA Cup. To this day, Brady is one of the most creative football geniuses ever to come out of Ireland with fantastic footwork, technique, and passing skills.
Robbie Keane
Some would say that the younger Keane has always been in the shadows of his brother. This is understandable, considering how big of a player Roy Keane was. But this doesn’t mean that Robbie wasn’t a great player for Ireland.
Even though many people still don’t believe this, Robbie is currently the all-time scorer for Ireland with 68 goals. He leads in impressive fashion with 30 goals more than Nail Quinn, who sits in second place.
Even though his club career wasn’t that successful, he managed to win a single English League Cup with Tottenham. But Keane always performed as the best version of himself for the national team.
Roy Haughton
Even though his birth city is Glasgow, Haughton’s father was Irish, and through his roots, he earned his way into the Irish national team. In his 11-year-long national career, he played over 70 games for Ireland.
Haughton was an outstanding midfielder that had a solid career at Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Fulham. However, he always gave 110% for The Boys in Green. He is the guy behind some of the most incredible goals in the history of the National team.
In 1994, his goal secured the win against Italy led by Roberto Baggio. He scored the only goal in the victory over England during the European Championship in 1988.
George Best
An old legend many football fans today don’t even remember. He was one of the first Irish players who joined Manchester United and helped the club grow into the powerhouse that it is today. Some even say that he was the best player ever to set foot on the pitch.
There’s an old saying at Old Trafford that is still chanted today by the fans, and it goes, “Maradona good, Pelle better, George Best.” This shows just how prolific as a player he was in his generation. Sadly, many people downplay his greatness because he only played 37 games for Ireland.
He won two English Premier League Championship titles, a European Champion Cup title, FA CUP, two Super Cups, and won Ballon D’or in 1968.
Paul McGrath
One of those sad stories that could have gone into legend if it weren’t for injuries. Even though McGrath was a known alcoholic and suffered from chronic knee issues, he still became one of the best Irish players.
His story is of rebellion, defiance, and stubbornness. McGrath managed to perform 83 times for the national team and score eight goals as a centre back.
He played for Aston Villa and Manchester United and won two League Cup titles and an FA Cup during his career. He was named the best Irish player two times in a row in 1991 and 1992.
Conclusion
Today, we have many aces playing in some of the best leagues across the world. Sometimes, it might get difficult to keep track of every match available. In certain cases, fans travel to countries that do not support broadcasts they wish to see.
Fellow Irish fans have a quick solution: a sports streaming VPN. It allows you to pick a location and access any streaming platform that you want. Thus, a VPN is your buddy when you need to see that match regardless of your location.
And while we had many great football moments in the past, we are all excited to see more in the future tournaments to come.
