It is not often that Irish footballers are noticed by those who not follow football closely. This little island has however brought loads of talented players throughout the years. More recently Ryan Manning comes to mind. He joined London’s Queens Park Rangers not too long ago, and we cannot wait to see where he’s heading shortly.
In this post we take a quick look at some of Irelands brightest football players, all of them had fantastic professional football careers.
1. Roy Keane
First up, we’ve got none other than the masterful Roy Keane. Keane quickly played his way up the ranks and landed a spot in Manchester United. We honour him for his talent but also dedication to the game. It is easy to see why Keane went up the ranks to captain one of Europe’s strongest teams.
2. Liam Brady
Liam Brady can be seen as one of the Irish footballers who paved the way for modern football. He was an inspirational player who played for Arsenal, Juventus and Inter Milan. During his career he won two Italian titles as well as an FA cup, and will remain one of the best Irish players of all time.
3. Johnny Giles
Giles started his pro-football career at the tender age of 15 and played midfield position for Manchester United. Even though he is now retired, he is a whizz at football to this day, and has loads of trophies and FA Cups under his belt.
4. Johnny Carey
Another Irish footballer who joined the ranks of Manchester United, Johnny Carey is known for his artful sportsmanship. He won the FA Cup as well as the Old First Division title back in the day. Unfortunately, his career as pro-footballer was cut short by the outbreak of World War II.
5. Danny Blanchflower
Danny Blanchflower was recently named Tottenham Hotspur’s best player, and played an impressive 330 matches for the team. He also led the Northern Irish team through to the World Cup quarter finals in 1958. A great player and captain, loved by all his followers.
6. Damien Duff
Also known as the ‘Duffer’, Damien Duff was quite a trailblazer and considered a master winger during his time as pro footballer. Known as one of the best minds in the game of football, Duff was applauded by Jose Mourinho who mentioned that he was one of the players who aimed to win every match.
7. Patrick O’Connell
Better known for his role as the very first Irish captain of Manchester United, Patrick O’Connell is also heralded as FC Barcelona’s saviour during the 1930’s. Even though he was in the field during troubling times, he managed to win the Home Nations Championship.
And that’s a wrap. We’re pretty sure the Irish boys will continue to impress European football clubs and fans from around the globe. We cannot wait to see what Irish professional football players have to offer the game in the future.