Northern Ireland football team
 |
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| Nickname(s) | Green and White Army, Norn Iron |
|---|---|
| Association | Irish Football Association |
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) |
| Head coach | Michael O'Neill |
| Captain | Steven Davis |
| Most caps | Pat Jennings (119) |
| Top scorer | David Healy (36) |
| Home stadium | Windsor Park |
| FIFA code | NIR |
| FIFA ranking | |
| Current | 26  (4 May 2017)
|
| Highest | 25 (June 2016) |
| Lowest | 129 (September 2012) |
| Elo ranking | |
| Current | 51 (30 April 2017)
|
| Highest | 5 or 14 (1882 or May 1986) |
| Lowest | 114 (11 October 2013) |
| First international | |
Official: Ireland 0–13 England  (Belfast; 18 February 1882) |
|
| Biggest win | |
Ireland 7–0 Wales  (Belfast; 1 February 1930) |
|
| Biggest defeat | |
|
Ireland 0–13 England (Belfast; 18 February 1882) |
|
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 3 (first in 1958) |
| Best result | Quarter finals, 1958 |
| European Championship | |
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2016) |
| Best result | Round of 16, 2016 |
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. From 1882 to 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association (IFA). In 1921, the jurisdiction of the IFA was reduced to Northern Ireland following the secession of clubs in the soon-to-be Irish Free State, although its team remained the national team for all of Ireland until 1950, and used the name Ireland until the 1970s. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) organises the separate Republic of Ireland national football team.
Although part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland has always had a representative side that plays in major professional tournaments – whether alongside the rest of Ireland pre-1922 or as its own entity – though not in the Olympic Games, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has always recognised United Kingdom representative sides.
Northern Ireland has competed in three FIFA World Cups, reaching the quarter-final stage in the 1958 and 1982 tournaments. At UEFA Euro 2016, the team made its first appearance at the European tournament and reached the second round.
On 18 February 1882, 15 months after the founding of the Irish FA, Ireland made their international debut against England, losing 13–0 in a friendly played at Bloomfield in Belfast. This remains the record defeat for the team, and also England's largest winning margin. On 25 February 1882, Ireland played their second international, against Wales at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, and an equaliser from Johnston became Ireland’s first ever goal.
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