List of Republic of Ireland international footballers


This is a list of footballers who have played for the Republic of Ireland national football team. The Irish Football Association was formed in 1880, prior to the partition of Ireland. The original Ireland national team was selected by the IFA and included players from all of Ireland. Following the creation of the Irish Free State, the Football Association of Ireland was set up and it picked its own national team. Until 1950, both Irish associations picked players from the whole of the island, which resulted in there being many dual Irish international footballers. After complaints by the FAI against this practice being used by the IFA during 1950 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, FIFA decreed that each association should select teams based on their own part of Ireland.
During the 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification, a late goal by England allowed them to qualify at Ireland's expense. After reaching the quarter-finals of the 1964 European Nations' Cup, Ireland lost a 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification play-off against Spain. A run of poor results in the late 1960s and early 1970s followed until Johnny Giles became their first player-manager. This was followed by the debut of a young Liam Brady and results improved markedly. The side missed out on the 1978 FIFA World Cup by two points, having defeated France at home during qualification. Eoin Hand took over as manager for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Ireland again narrowly missed out on qualification, finishing behind France on goal difference. Disappointing qualifying campaigns for both UEFA Euro 1984 and the 1986 FIFA World Cup followed, ending Hand's time in charge.
Ireland then appointed Jack Charlton, who led the team to its most successful period, qualifying for two World Cups and a European Championship. Ireland's first appearance at a major finals tournament came in UEFA Euro 1988. Ireland beat England 1–0 and came within eight minutes of qualifying for the semi-finals. Ireland also qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Draws in the group stage against England, Egypt and the Netherlands was enough to earn a place in the second round, in which the team beat Romania on a penalty shootout. Ireland were then beaten 1–0 by Italy in the quarter final. During the tournament, the team had an audience with Pope John Paul II. After missing out on UEFA Euro 1992 despite being unbeaten in qualifying, Ireland qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The team beat Italy 1-0 in their opening game and reached the second round, losing 2–0 to the Netherlands. Ireland missed out on UEFA Euro 1996 after losing 2–0 to the Netherlands in a play-off at Anfield. It was Charlton's final game as manager.
Under new manager Mick McCarthy, Ireland missed out on the next two major tournaments, losing play-offs to Belgium and Turkey. Ireland took on Portugal and the Netherlands in 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification and ended the group in second place. Ireland then qualified for the World Cup by winning a play-off with Iran. Despite the loss of captain Roy Keane due to an infamous public spat in Saipan, the team progressed to the second round. After the match was drawn, Ireland lost 3–2 in a penalty shootout against Spain. After a poor start to qualifying for UEFA Euro 2004, McCarthy was replaced by Brian Kerr. He was unable to guide the side to Euro 2004 or the 2006 FIFA World Cup and was sacked in October 2005. Kerr was replaced by Steve Staunton in January 2006, but the team failed to qualify for UEFA Euro 2008 and Staunton lost the position in October 2007.
Veteran Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni was appointed manager in February 2008. Trapattoni went through all ten first round 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying games unbeaten, winning four of the ten games. Ireland lost out on a place in the World Cup after a controversial loss to France in the play-offs. In their Euro 2012 qualifying group Ireland finished second and qualified by winning a play-off against Estonia. Ireland lost all three matches at Euro 2012, against Croatia, Spain and Italy.

List of players

;Key
*Still active for the national team
CapsAppearances

PlayerPosCapsGoalsFirst capLast cap
DF16019461953
FW691919861996
FW5119541964
DF16119791988
*MF35320082012
DF1019351935
DF1019371937
MF1020152015
DF35019942002
FW1019641964
FW2019651966
FW6220022004
FW2019281929
DF15019841986
DF2020072007
FW1019291929
Paddy BerminghamDF1119341934
FW7020092010
GK80019811996
MF2019781978
FW5419381939
DF2019261927
MF72919741990
DF6019631964
*MF14320122015
GK1019971997
DF63619962006
GK5019371947
DF1019651965
DF19019651970
MF2119371937
DF3019631964
DF2020072008
FW2019841984
DF1019511951
DF1019291929
DF1019341934
DF1020002000
MF2020022002
FW3119291934
DF1019281928
FW2020042006
FW23419851993
DF3019311934
MF8019841986
DF1019311931
DF14019691973
FW3019851985
MF11019711977
GK2019261928
DF361419531967
DF3019921994
DF29319371953
DF2019591960
DF44019992007
FW2019491949
DF17119681973
MF40019972008
FW881919851999
MF2019791979
DF3019311934
DF3120142015
*DF12120112015
DF2020042004
FW1019781978
DF2019481948
DF1019501950
DF3019511954
MF11319461952
MF1019491949
*MF42120112015
FW2019501951
GK10020022007
GK1019271927
MF5019651969
FW41919962005
FW1019361936
MF1019261926
FW26219691977
MF20319661977
MF4019491949
GK1019461946
*FW30420112014
FW1019941994
FW22619921997
FW2020022003
MF19519531961
MF1019511951
*DF4020102013
DF72019962005
FW17819561963
Ronan CurtisFW1020182018
DF1019521952
DF5019921996
MF481319731986
DF2019321935
DF2019781978
DF1019491949
FW4419361938
DF4019821982
DF5020082011
MF11019982004
MF2019871988
DF19119661974
MF11219721977
FW4019491949
DF13019791984
DF33420002005
FW10319341937
FW2119371938
DF5019541957
FW2019791981
MF8020042007
FW3019281931
FW1019591959
GK1020072007
MF1019261926
*FW611420062014
DF1019311931
MF1020042004
MF100819982012
FW1019501950
DF1020142014
MF5119271937
FW151319301939
FW1019711971
DF1019351935
GK5019651966
*DF80820002013
DF15019521960
DF3019561956
DF33019621975
DF2019701970
MF23019651971
GK14019591964
DF1019861986
FW1019291929
FW24219461955
GK3020142014
FW9120042006
FW7119351936
FW1019971997
FW1019731973
FW1019261926
MF8519541961
MF2019821982
DF8219501955
FW9219341939
GK4019291931
FW2019371937
MF28319461957
MF6019962000
*MF16320102012
DF2019371937
DF53220002008
MF11019671971
FW2019551956
FW5219601961
GK1019691969
MF26819491959
DF10019961998
DF5119261931
MF11319601964
FW7020082009
FW6220002000
GK7019341936
*DF8020092011
DF1019261926
DF9019641967
*GK23020112014
FW2019371939
FW2119261927
MF11119601969
FW1019311931
FW2019671967
DF1019541954
MF29119821989
MF2020072007
MF14019481955
DF1019711971
DF7019341938
MF7219491956
FW2219361937
FW4019521955
*MF25120072014
FW1019661966
MF1019501950
MF59519591979
GK134019962016
FW561919691981
MF2020072007
DF8019271936
FW2119511955
GK13019491958
FW2019281930
FW4019971997
DF1020022002
DF13019361947
FW1019261926
MF45819761985
*MF20120102013
DF8019781979
FW1019341934
DF18119781988
FW14219621973
FW2019591959
DF20219691975
GK5019351938
DF631219962007
FW2019491954
MF32319561966
MF1019791979
DF2019461947
GK1019491949
GK2019771980
MF13120022003
MF34019701981
FW2019481948
GK6020062007
*MF11020132015
FW5019641968
DF3019711973
MF1019511951
MF48519992005
DF30119711981
*MF20220082015
FW7219301936
MF73619861997
MF1019841984
DF6019371939
DF53219791991
FW3020082009
*MF39120072012
DF40219571969
DF2019351935
MF6420062007
DF56419901999
FW2019341937
FW2119371937
MF16119982006
FW2019311931
FW1466819982016
DF4019481949
MF67919912005
MF1019711971
FW1019541954
GK18019701979
GK34019932001
GK47019561973
FW26919871997
DF52219942002
FW4219321936
MF4019881990
FW1019541954
DF5019601961
*DF38020062013
FW4019271935
DF27019951999
MF34419952002
MF2019861986
FW3019321934
GK7020042006
*FW30220072012
DF1019661966
*DF7120132014
DF1019581958
DF22119921996
GK11019992008
GK5019511952
MF110819972011
DF26019671975
DF1019281928
MF48319982004
DF2019321937
DF1019271927
MF3119271930
DF26019781987
FW1020072007
MF8019531955
FW3019491951
MF5019701973
MF15220092011
DF39519771987
FW10020032006
FW8219691972
DF3019341935
DF2019311931
*FW551320072015
GK1019621962
DF2019381938
DF1019341934
MF2020002000
FW1020042004
DF1019771977
DF2019561957
FW1119361936
DF1019291929
FW1019491949
DF5119731974
FW1019271927
DF30619461956
MF52419711983
DF10019982005
MF2019461946
MF52319942004
FW1119561956
DF3019261930
*MF28020102015
DF57219841992
GK1019321932
*MF27420122015
DF6019711973
DF3019831984
GK25019811985
FW17619611967
*MF77520042015
FW15419781980
FW2020142014
MF15019921995
MF3019491949
DF1019471947
MF22019581967
DF83819851997
DF1019351935
GK9019371939
MF42219901999
FW2019301931
DF2019461946
DF3019591962
MF10120002004
*DF31020062013
DF17019611969
FW1019341934
*MF13020122014
MF21120042009
MF1019921992
FW2019351935
FW2119641965
MF8019961996
FW9719311936
DF71619801994
MF12119481953
DF35019871993
FW36920012006
DF5019361937
GK3019481948
FW1019781978
MF1019271927
DF50119691979
FW1019531953
DF1019551955
DF1019861986
FW9020072015
MF3019791980
GK2020032010
DF1020072007
FW1019501950
MF1019691969
DF3020092009
DF10019561962
MF5020062007
DF26120012006
MF3019791980
*MF5020062012
MF16019861996
MF4019271932
DF5019761980
DF1019491949
FW6019791982
MF21119811987
DF2020072007
FW2019661970
FW4019491949
MF8019671973
*DF20120092013
MF3019481949
MF3019821982
DF9219521959
FW10319371947
FW1019461946
DF2020072007
GK1019871987
DF3019341935
FW5119811985
FW3019341938
DF68119761993
DF7019791980
DF6019381939
MF20119611971
GK17019521959
DF1019601960
FW13419961999
DF11019351939
MF4019831985
FW2119461946
MF20219321939
*DF103320012015
*DF5220122014
GK33019771992
MF6019561962
DF42019912000
MF8120132014
MF5020072008
MF8020032007
MF4020002000
FW912119862002
*MF10020132014
*GK2020122013
MF27420032007
FW1019311931
MF23220012008
FW3019711979
FW3019341935
FW20619511959
DF2019281931
FW24419801986
GK8019711975
MF19519671972
MF5020042009
FW18119781984
MF16319491955
FW1020022002
*FW9020132013
MF5019961996
DF18019541962
GK1019541954
DF1019881988
MF46919831993
FW3020102010
FW34519881995
FW7119901993
MF2119461946
GK1019681968
FW1119341934
*DF37320092013
FW712019761990
DF102819882002
FW7019321948
FW4020072011
MF5119641966
DF1019281928
GK1019601960
DF3019781978
GK1019581958
GK2019731974
DF1020032003
MF70719891997
DF8019541964
*MF6020102011
FW42519661979
FW8419551965
DF10019361939
FW2019631964
DF2019461946
MF21319801990
MF9019461950
FW20519461953
MF1019821982
FW21219761984
*FW34620102015
*DF29220112014
MF2119761979
FW1019261926
MF3019391939
*GK17020092015
*MF78220082017
MF4019561957
MF53319811995
FW2019631964
FW1219281928
DF1019591959
DF1019371937
*DF28120112015