Can New Northern Ireland Stars Step Up On World Stage?

Fifa World Cup qualifier: Luxembourg v Northern Ireland

Venue: Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg Date: Thursday, 4 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Watch unrecorded connected BBC Two NI, BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

Such is nan quality of nan world shot almanac that erstwhile Northern Ireland statesman their efforts to make it to nan 2026 World Cup against Luxembourg connected Thursday evening it will correspond their first qualifying crippled successful almost 2 years.

A 2-0 triumph complete Denmark astatine Windsor Park successful October 2023 was nan past clip Michael O'Neill's broadside faced specified a fixture pinch their occurrence complete nan Euro 2024-bound broadside proving to beryllium thing of an outlier successful caller times.

In nan side's preceding 17 qualifiers, they enjoyed conscionable 4 victories, a brace of wins complete some San Marino and Lithuania.

If that tally of results crossed 2 qualifying campaigns appeared to herald nan extremity of a aureate era for nan broadside during which they qualified for Euro 2016 and reached play-offs for nan World Cup of 2018 and Euro 2020, past nan changing look of nan sheet crossed nan adjacent 23 months hammered location nan point.

Since that past qualifying fixture, Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas, Craig Cathcart and nan Evans brothers, Jonny and Corry, person each retired from football.

In their place, an breathtaking young halfway centred astir Conor Bradley, Isaac Price, Shea Charles and Trai Hume has emerged to lead nan broadside into a qualifying run that will spot them return connected Germany and Slovakia arsenic good arsenic Luxembourg.

"That crippled against Denmark was astir apt nan commencement of it," said head Michael O'Neill.

"It was rather a young squad that played that nighttime and it was a really affirmative consequence for america aft a challenging run for 2024 which brought a closure connected a batch of players' careers astatine world level.

"Over nan past 2 years, we've had to create and turn a team. We've possibly put young players successful astatine times erstwhile possibly it was a small spot early, but we felt that was nan correct point to do.

"Over nan 2 years, I deliberation that's proven to beryllium nan correct point to do and we person a group of players now that are still very young, still sewage a batch to achieve."

When O'Neill returned to nan station successful December 2022, nan thought that he would person to "grow a team" was apt not foremost successful his thoughts.

But Dallas and Davis were some forced into earlier than anticipated status done wounded while different elder players were plagued by unavailability too.

Having been dealt nan unwanted hand, nan erstwhile Newcastle United midfielder has played it well.

When exposing talented youngsters "a small spot early" to nan rigours of world shot location person been immoderate harsh lessons, astir notably a 5-1 conclusion by Spain six weeks earlier La Roja won Euro 2024, and a nonaccomplishment to Sweden by nan aforesaid scoreline successful March connected a nighttime erstwhile Alexander Isak ran riot.

In nan main, though, nan past 2 years person produced a immense betterment successful results, galore chopped retired done what could beryllium termed typically O'Neill style performances.

In a play of specified transition, location is simply a consciousness that nan returned head has been nan 1 constant.

Having taken complaint of nan broadside connected 96 occasions crossed his 2 spells, O'Neill is preparing for his 5th qualifying run arsenic leader aft an eight-year world profession arsenic a player.

"I deliberation immoderate shot situation, whether it's nine aliases international, benefits from stability. I deliberation that's an important thing" he said.

"Obviously, nan IFA, erstwhile I left, I'd been successful position for 8 years. Then to travel backmost and perpetrate myself for 5 years again is creating that stability.

"For a number of these players, they've had that consistency coming into world football. I deliberation that's what gives america success."

Drawn successful a four-team group, Northern Ireland person had to hold to get their run nether way, but it originates now pinch 2 intriguing, if vastly different, tests.

Away to Luxembourg connected Thursday brings them to nan lowest classed broadside successful nan group but backmost to a crushed wherever they threw distant a two-goal lead to tie successful November's Nations League meeting.

Just 3 days later they will look four-time World Cup winners Germany successful Cologne, a fixture that will beryllium utilized arsenic a yardstick to measurement really acold they person travel since those reliable outings against Spain and Sweden.

Such are nan margins pinch only six games to play, 4 points this week would person fans frantically searching for flights and accommodations options, while less than 3 will consciousness for illustration nan dream is complete earlier it begins.

And while, fixed nan property floor plan of nan squad, location could beryllium a consciousness that this qualifying run comes 1 rhythm excessively early, O'Neill rejects nan idea.

"For astir of nan players successful this group, this will beryllium their first chance to suffice for a World Cup," said O'Neill.

"The connection will be, look, don't return it for granted because you've sewage to spell different 4 years to hold for this opportunity to travel astir again," said O'Neill.

"Our purpose is to make judge we're arsenic competitory arsenic possible.

"We evidently cognize that Germany are monolithic favourites to triumph nan group, but we person to judge immoderate way location is to get to a World Cup successful 2026, we effort and do immoderate we tin done immoderate way to make judge that we springiness ourselves nan champion chance."