This campaign is different, though. You can feel a bit of new energy. The young lads from the academy are stepping up. They don’t know the history of 0-0 draws in Luxembourg. They just run fast and tackle hard. It’s refreshing.
We won’t qualify for the 2026 World Cup in a perfect, Hollywood style. We’ll do it the Northern Ireland way: a nervy 1-0 win at home, a dodgy penalty in injury time, and a miracle in the last group game where we need a draw away to a team we’ve never beaten. It’s the only way.
And when that final whistle blows—if we do make it—the whole country will lose its collective mind. The pubs will overflow. People will sing songs about a left-back from Coleraine. The next day, everyone will be hungover, but smiling. Because for a few weeks, we’re not just a small nation. We’re a football nation.
So get the biscuits ready. Check your DVR. And brace yourself for the emotional rollercoaster. The 2026 World Cup qualifiers are here, and they’re going to be absolutely mental.
Here’s to the hope. Even if it kills us.
