The Northern Ireland senior men’s team had another solid year as Michael O’Neill continued to mould his youthful squad.
The aim in 2025 was to expose the players to experienced international opposition in the first half of the year ahead of a truncated FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign in the autumn.
And when the European qualifiers came around the goal was to finish in the top two places in Group A, which also featured Germany, Slovakia and Luxembourg.
Finishing top of the group would have secured automatic qualification to the 2026 World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and USA, while coming second would have secured one of 16 play-off semi-final berths.
Although Northern Ireland won three games in the group, and performed well in the other three, it was Germany and Slovakia who grabbed first and second place in Group A respectively.
However, four of the 16 semi-final berths in the play-offs were secured on the basis of the interim overall 2024/25 Nations League rankings, starting with the best-ranked group winners that neither qualified directly for the final competition as European Qualifiers group winners nor entered the play-offs already as group runners-up.
That meant Northern Ireland’s performances in the UEFA Nations League in 2024 - they topped League C Group 3 with 11 points from six games - ultimately secured a World Cup play-off semi-final via the Nations League route.
Northern Ireland began the year with a strong performance against Switzerland in Belfast back in March.
The international challenge match, in which Jamie Donley and Terry Devlin made their senior debuts, finished 1-1. An Isaac Price wonder strike gave Northern Ireland the lead before the Swiss hit back.
In the 16th minute Northern Ireland took the lead thanks to a stunning free-kick from Price. The hard-running Lee Bonis, making his first start for the senior men’s team, was hauled down on the edge of the area. George Saville rolled the resulting free-kick to Price and from an angle he drilled the ball into the corner of the net. It was a beauty.
Switzerland equalised four minutes later. Ricardo Rodriguez swung in a corner. The unmarked Vincent Sierro rose highest and planted a strong header past Pierce Charles into the net.
Northern Ireland had the bulk of the chances in the game but could not find a second.
The second friendly in March saw them lose to Sweden in Stockholm.
Sweden showed a ruthless streak as they ran out 5-1 winners in the Strawberry Arena in Solna.
Northern Ireland created several chances, but the hosts showed greater efficiency in converting the opportunities that came their way.
Sweden’s scorers were Emil Holm, Benjamin Nygren, Ken Sema, Alexander Isak and Anthony Elanga. Northern Ireland’s consolation goal was scored by Isaac Price.
Next up, in June, was an international challenge match against Denmark in Copenhagen.
Michael O’Neill’s side took an early lead in the game at the Parken Stadium but a goal in added time in the first half and another midway through the second half proved to be decisive for the Danes, who won the game by two goals to one.
Denmark actually netted all three goals in the friendly. Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg scored an own goal, while Gustav Isaksen and Christian Eriksen scored at the right end for the Danes.
Then it was back to Belfast for a friendly against Iceland.
Northern Ireland defeated Iceland, however they had to do it the hard way after being reduced to 10 men with a third of the game remaining. Brodie Spencer was the player red-carded.
Another wonder goal from Isaac Price - it was a curling free-kick from 18 yards - was the difference between the two sides as the game ended 1-0.
Michael O’Neill gave a debut to striker Ronan Hale, who smashed a volley against the woodwork at the end of the first half.
From there it was on to World Cup qualifiers in the autumn.
Northern Ireland’s qualification campaign for FIFA World Cup 2026 began in September with two away games.
The Group A opener was an encounter with Luxembourg at Stade de Luxembourg.
In the sixth minute Luxembourg defender Seid Korac slipped and handled the ball as he tussled with Jamie Reid just inside the penalty area. Following a VAR review, referee Andris Treimanis awarded a spot kick.
Isaac Price stepped up to take the penalty. Luxembourg keeper Anthony Moris pushed out his effort only for Reid to react quickest and hammer the loose ball into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.
Luxembourg equalised on the half-hour mark through striker Aiman Dardari, who ran at the visitors’ defence and found space to fire a low shot into the corner of the net from 18 yards.
Northern Ireland upped the tempo after the break and second half goals from Shea Charles and Justin Devenny eased them to a 3-1 victory. It was a first international goal for both players.
Game number two in the group was against top seeds Germany in Cologne.
Michael O’Neill’s side matched the hosts for two-thirds of the game at the Rhein-Energie-Stadion and the game stood at one apiece at half-time, however two quickfire second half goals helped Germany register a 3-1 victory.
Germany took the lead in the seventh minute. Striker Nick Woltemade slipped in attacking midfielder Serge Gnabry, who beat the offside trap and raced forward to expertly loft the ball past Northern Ireland keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who was earning his 50th cap for his country, into the corner of the net.
Northern Ireland equalised on 34 minutes. Justin Devenny delivered a corner to the back post where the unmarked Isaac Price produced an exquisite volley from six yards which flew into the net. It was a sweet finish.
Germany edged ahead in the 69th minute. David Raum angled a pass inside the box for substitute Maximilian Beier but the ball bypassed the forward and Peacock-Farrell as another German sub, Nadiem Amiri, arrived right on cue to score into an empty net.
Three minutes later it was 3-1. Alistair McCann conceded a foul on the edge of the area and Florian Wirtz superbly curled the resulting free-kick into the top corner.
Towards the end of the match midfielder Jamie McDonnell came off the bench to make his senior international debut for Northern Ireland.
The following month Slovakia and Germany were the visitors to the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park.
Northern Ireland registered a fine 2-0 victory against Slovakia in their third group game.
There was early pressure from a bright and energetic Northern Ireland, who opened the scoring on 18 minutes.
Captain Conor Bradley and Ethan Galbraith combined superbly down the right before Galbraith sped towards the bye-line and blasted the ball in low and hard towards the six-yard box where Slovakia midfielder Patrik Hrosovsky turned it into his own net.
Both sides had chances after that but the home side were always on top.
On 81 minutes Trai Hume grabbed Northern Ireland’s second and his first senior international goal.
Paddy McNair headed a clearance back towards goal which was then headed on by Hume. Slovakia keeper Martin Dubravka met the ball and punched it straight to Hume 25 yards out and he superbly lofted it, on the volley, into an empty net.
Following such a good showing against the Slovakians, confidence was high going in to group game number four – against Germany.
Northern Ireland pushed Germany all the way in the qualifier in Belfast.
The Germans left the National Stadium with all three points, but Michael O’Neill’s side deserved at least a point. In the second half in particular they gave it a real go.
In the end a first half goal from striker Nick Woltemade was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for the Germans which they barely deserved.
The visitors were the better team in the first half, however Northern Ireland were on top after the break in Michael O'Neill's 100th game in charge of his country.
The penultimate game in the group was against Slovakia in Kosice last month.
A victory would have put Northern Ireland on course for a top-two finish in Group A, however it was not to be.
A controversial goal in the 91st minute was enough to give the Slovakians a 1-0 victory in a scrappy encounter at the Kosicka Futbalova Arena.
Slovakia created several chances, including a David Strelec shot that hit the woodwork, however Northern Ireland went close, too. Daniel Ballard put a header wide and George Saville and Brad Lyons fired shots over the bar.
In the first minute of added time Slovakia scored what proved to be the winner. Substitute Laszlo Benes delivered a corner into the penalty box where fellow sub Tomas Bobcek, who had only been on the field for three minutes, slammed the ball home.
The goal was confirmed by VAR, although Northern Ireland felt aggrieved as Ballard was pushed over as the corner found its way to Bobcek.
The final game of the qualifying campaign was a home match against Luxembourg.
Northern Ireland had already cemented third place in Group A prior to the fixture and a 1-0 victory ensured they grabbed all three points.
They took the lead on 44 minutes from the penalty spot – and it proved to be the winner.
Brad Lyons fired in a dangerous cross which was cleared by the Luxembourg defence. The resulting corner was delivered by Jamie Donley into the area where Ciaran Brown was hauled down by Christopher Martins. And, following a VAR review, the referee awarded the penalty. Donley coolly stroked home the spot kick for his first senior international goal.
In the closing stages midfielder Patrick Kelly made his senior debut for Northern Ireland.
Michael O’Neill’s team will now play Italy in a World Cup play-off semi-final, with the game being staged in Bergamo, on 26 March.
And if Northern Ireland defeat the Italians they will play the winners of the semi-final between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final on 31 March – and that game will also be away from home.
If they make it to the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and USA next summer they will face co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar in the group stages.
Image: Trai Hume celebrates his winning goal against Slovakia.
