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England–Republic of Ireland football rivalry

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England–Republic of Ireland football rivalry
LocationBritish Isles
Teams England
 Republic of Ireland
First meeting30 September 1946
Friendly
Republic of Ireland 0–1 England
Latest meeting17 November 2024
UEFA Nations League
England 5–0 Republic of Ireland
Statistics
Meetings total18
Most winsEngland (8)
Most player appearancesEngland Bryan Robson
England Gary Lineker
Republic of Ireland Pat Bonner
Republic of Ireland Paul McGrath
Republic of Ireland David O'Leary
(5 appearances each)
Top scorerEngland John Atyeo
England Tommy Taylor
(3 goals each)
All-time recordEngland: 8
Draw: 8
Republic of Ireland: 2
England–Republic of Ireland football rivalry is located in Europe
England
England
Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland

The England–Republic of Ireland football rivalry is a rivalry between England and Republic of Ireland football teams. The first ever match was played on 30 September 1946 at Dalymount Park, Dublin. England won the match 1–0.[1][2] On 21 September 1949, Republic of Ireland won the second match 2–0 which was played at Goodison Park, Liverpool and became the first non-British team to defeat England on their home soil.[2][3]

Since then there have a been a total of 17 matches between both the teams with England winning seven, Republic of Ireland winning two, and eight games ending in a draw.[4]

The teams were drawn together in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, where they faced each other home and away in their first competitive fixtures for 33 years.[5]

History

[edit]

England and Ireland has a long-standing rivalry, stretching back to Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, when settlers started to control Irish affairs, British colonising the Irish Island and displacing the locals and with the Plantation of Ulster, the Catholic (local) majority was under the control of the Protestant minority settlers. After the Irish War of Independence, the British divided Ireland into two self-governing polities; which later became Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The split caused animosity between England and the Republic of Ireland which can be often seen when the countries meet in any sporting events.[6]

Within football, England and Ireland began playing against one another regularly from the early 1880s, but this was the Ireland team organised by the Irish Football Association based in Belfast which favoured Ulster Protestant players; as participants in the British Home Championship, their relationship with England was fraternal. That Ireland team eventually evolved into the current Northern Ireland national football team, whereas the Republic of Ireland national football team formed in 1921 by the Football Association of Ireland in Dublin had no such sporting familiarity with England (although it was always the case that the majority of the best Irish players were based there) and clear differences in cultural and political leanings amongst their supporters.[citation needed]

The rivalry is further intensified when Irish-born players or players of Irish descent switch allegiances to England, with Declan Rice and Jack Grealish being the latest examples, as both represented Republic of Ireland from U16 to U21 levels, then switched to England at senior level.[7][8] Rice made three appearances for the Republic of Ireland before joining England.

List of matches

[edit]
Key
  Republic of Ireland win
  England win
  Draw
  Match abandoned
No. Date Location Competition Home team Result Away team
1. 30 September 1946 Republic of Ireland Dublin Friendly Republic of Ireland 0–1[9] England
2. 21 September 1949 England Liverpool Friendly England 0–2[10] Republic of Ireland
3. 8 May 1957 England London 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification England 5–1[11] Republic of Ireland
4. 19 May 1957 Republic of Ireland Dublin Republic of Ireland 1–1[12] England
5. 24 May 1964 Republic of Ireland Dublin Friendly Republic of Ireland 1–3[13] England
6. 8 September 1976 England London Friendly England 1–1[14] Republic of Ireland
7. 25 October 1978 Republic of Ireland Dublin UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying Republic of Ireland 1–1[15] England
8. 6 February 1980 England London England 2–0[16] Republic of Ireland
9. 26 March 1985 England London Friendly England 2–1[17] Republic of Ireland
10. 12 June 1988 West Germany Stuttgart UEFA Euro 1988 England 0–1[18] Republic of Ireland
11. 11 June 1990 Italy Cagliari 1990 FIFA World Cup England 1–1[19] Republic of Ireland
12. 14 November 1990 Republic of Ireland Dublin UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying Republic of Ireland 1–1[20] England
13. 27 March 1991 England London England 1–1[21] Republic of Ireland
– 15 February 1995 Republic of Ireland Dublin Friendly Republic of Ireland 1–0[a] England
14. 29 May 2013 England London Friendly England 1–1[22] Republic of Ireland
15. 7 June 2015 Republic of Ireland Dublin Friendly Republic of Ireland 0–0[23] England
16. 12 November 2020 England London Friendly England 3–0[24] Republic of Ireland
17. 7 September 2024 Republic of Ireland Dublin 2024–25 UEFA Nations League Republic of Ireland 0–2[5] England
18. 17 November 2024 England London England 5–0[5] Republic of Ireland
  1. ^ Match was abandoned after 27 minutes due to the Lansdowne Road football riot. The result was declared void but players were still credited with international caps.

Statistics

[edit]

All-time top goalscorers

[edit]
Nation Player Goals Years
England John Atyeo 3 1955–57
England Tommy Taylor 3 1953–57
England Gary Lineker 2 1984–92
England Kevin Keegan 2 1972–82

All-time most appearances

[edit]
Nation Player Appearances Years Position
England Bryan Robson 5 1980–1991 Midfielder
England Gary Lineker 5 1984–1992 Forward
Republic of Ireland Pat Bonner 5 1981–1996 Goalkeeper
Republic of Ireland Paul McGrath 5 1985–1997 Defender
Republic of Ireland David O'Leary 5 1976–1993 Defender

Overall

[edit]
Competition Matches Wins Draws Goals
England Rep. of Ireland England Rep. of Ireland
FIFA World Cup 1 0 0 1 1 1
FIFA World Cup qualification 2 1 0 1 6 2
UEFA European Championship 1 0 1 0 0 1
UEFA Euro qualification 4 1 0 3 5 3
UEFA Nations League 2 2 0 0 7 0
All competitions 10 4 1 5 19 7
Friendlies 8 4 1 3 11 6
All matches 18 8 2 8 30 13

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Friendlies 1946 » September » Ireland - England 0:1". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b Healy, Martin (11 November 2020). "The long history of Ireland vs England matches through the years". extra.ie. Extra.ie. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Friendlies 1949 » September » England - Ireland 0:2". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  4. ^ "England » Record against Ireland". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Nations League: England travel to Republic of Ireland and Scotland host Poland in openers". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  6. ^ Wallenfeldt, Jeff. "The Troubles". britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  7. ^ Delaney, Miguel. "What Ireland really feels about England, an 800-year rivalry of shades of grey, green and white". independent.co.uk. The Independent. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Jack Grealish chooses England over Republic of Ireland". bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  9. ^ "228 - Republic of Ireland 0-1 England, Monday, 30th September 1946". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  10. ^ "249 - England 0-2 Republic of Ireland, Wednesday, 21st September 1949". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  11. ^ "312 - England 5-1 Republic of Ireland, Wednesday, 8th May 1957". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  12. ^ "314 - Republic of Ireland 1-1 England, Sunday, 19th May 1957". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  13. ^ "378 - Republic of Ireland 1-3 England, Sunday, 24th May 1964". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  14. ^ "504 - England 1-1 Republic of Ireland, Wednesday, 8th September 1976". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  15. ^ "525 - Republic of Ireland 1-1 England, Wednesday, 25th October 1978". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  16. ^ "537 - England 2-0 Republic of Ireland, Wednesday, 6th February 1980". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  17. ^ "597 - England 2-1 Republic of Ireland, Tuesday, 26th March 1985". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  18. ^ "636 - England 0-1 Republic of Ireland, Sunday, 12th June 1988". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  19. ^ "658 - England 1-1 Republic of Ireland, Monday, 11th June 1990". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  20. ^ "667 - Republic of Ireland 1-1 England, Wednesday, 14th November 1990". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  21. ^ "669 - England 1-1 Republic of Ireland, Wednesday, 27th March 1991". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  22. ^ "919 - England 1-1 Republic of Ireland, Wednesday, 29th May 2013". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  23. ^ "943 - Republic of Ireland 0-0 England, Sunday, 7th June 2015". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  24. ^ "1007 - England 3-0 Republic of Ireland, Thursday, 12th November 2020". EnglandStats.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
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