Football Association of Ireland

The Boys in Green were born of a divided island: the FAI split from the Belfast federation in 1921 and Dublin gained a national team of its own. Glory took its time, then arrived in a rush under Jack Charlton: a first major tournament at Euro 88 with victory over England, a World Cup quarter final at the first attempt in 1990 after the penalty shootout against Romania, and another win over Italy at Giants Stadium in 1994. Then came the last sixteen of 2002, overshadowed by the Roy Keane affair in Saipan, and of 2016, with Italy beaten once again. The land of Paul McGrath, Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Shay Given plays at the Aviva, built over old Lansdowne Road, the world's oldest international ground.