12 Longest Absences From The World Cup

Last Appearance: 1986

Football is one of the only sports where Northern Ireland compete individually. In rugby, for example, a unified Ireland team competes in competitions such as the Six Nations, whilst in the Olympics, individuals from the six counties have the choice of representing either their southern neighbours or the United Kingdom that they are one of the four constituent countries of.

The chance of ever seeing either of these setups replicated in football seems unthinkable given that both Irish football associations (as well as those in England, Scotland and Wales) are vehemently opposed to the idea, as are FIFA.

A united Ireland team would certainly be a more competitive force on the international stage. Both Northern and the Republic of Ireland made it to Euro 2016, but the smaller number of European berths available at the World Cup has in recent years almost always seen the former fall at the first hurdle and the latter lose out in the playoffs (having done so 3 times in 6 campaigns).

Northern Ireland's three trips to the World Cup took them to Sweden in 1958, Spain in 1982 and Mexico in 1986, reaching the quarter finals first time around. They do still hold the record for having fielded the youngest ever player at a finals - Manchester United's Norman Whiteside having made his debut just after his seventeenth birthday in the opening game against Yugoslavia in 1982.