Power ranking the 11 best teams that Ireland have faced over the last 20 years

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There’s no denying that the Republic of Ireland face a difficult task in Group E at Euro 2016 with Sweden, Belgium and Italy all lying in wait, but as Germany will testify, Martin O’Neill’s men won’t shy away from the challenge.

We’re confident that Ireland can upset the established order this summer, but respect where it’s due, those three countries all have established tournament pedigree and experience.

With this in mind, we’ve decided to look at 11 matches where Ireland were seriously put to the test over the past 20 years – friendlies and competitive matches are both included.

11)  Russia- Euro ’12 qualifying

Results: Ireland 2-3 Russia, Russia 0-0 Ireland

Their side in Dublin:  Akinfeev; Anyukov, V Beretzutsky, Ignashevich, Zhirkov; Shirokov, Denisov, Zyranov, Dzagoev, A Beretzutsky, Arshavin, Kerzhakov.

The matches: Nobody can forget Richard Dunne’s heroics in Moscow, but the game in Dublin was one of the very few times when Ireland got absolutely schooled by an away side. With the diminutive duo of Alan Dzagoev and Andrey Arshavin pulling the strings, the Russians toyed with Ireland and opened up a 3-0 lead inside 50 minutes. The final scoreline seemed tight but it really flattered Ireland.

How they ultimately fared: Topped the qualification group but finished third in their group at Euro 2012 behind the Czech Republic and Greece.

Clip via – 6ikta

10) Netherlands- W.C ’02 qualifying

Results: Netherlands 2-2 Ireland, Ireland 1-0 Netherlands

Their side in Dublin:  Van der Sar, Melchiot, Stam, Hofland, Numan, Zenden, Van Bommel, Cocu, Overmars, Kluivert, Van Nistelrooy.

The matches: Jason McAteer will never have to buy a pint in Ireland after his goalscoring heroics at Lansdowne Road but in an incredibly tight group, those two dropped points in Amsterdam at the start of the campaign could have been fatal.

In the group opener, Ireland raced into a two-nil lead against the Euro ’00 semi-finalists, McAteer and Keane were on the scoresheet, but we somehow managed to throw away the lead in the last 15 minutes.

How they fared: This incredibly talented Dutch squad were watching the World Cup from their couches. Testament to the squad that Ireland had at the time.

Clip via – PeteTop Carton

9) Croatia – Euro ’00 qualifying

Results: Ireland 2-0 Croatia, Croatia 1-0 Ireland

Their side in Dublin: Ladic, Simic, Stimac, Asanovic, Maric, Boban, Stanic , Soldo, Jurcic , Tudor, Jarni.

The matches: Although a gifted Yugoslavia team actually won the group, the Croats were coming into this campaign after a stunning campaign at France ’98. Lilian Thuram’s brace saw them eliminated in the semi-finals but Croatia rallied to finish third having beaten Germany and Holland while narrowly losing to Argentina and the French.

The boys in green managed to face Croatia at the perfect time though because their performance in Dublin was the epitome of a ‘World Cup hangover’. The match in Zagreb was completely different though. Mick McCarthy’s team selection was an indication that he set up his team up for a draw and Ireland were absolutely battered. A point looked very likely until Davor Suker’s goal in injury time.

How they fared: The defeat to Ireland coupled with draws against against Macedonia and Yugoslavia proved to be the downfall for this remarkably talented team. An extremely rare blip on Croatia’s recent football tournament history.

Clip via – sp1873

8) Portugal – World Cup ’02 qualifying

Results: Portugal 1-1 Ireland, Ireland 1-1 Portugal.

Their side in Dublin: Ricardo, Costa, Jorge, Litos, Beto, Frechaut, Figo, Barbosa, Pauleta, Rui Costa, Petit.

The matches: In Lisbon, Portugal pillaged the Irish goal and the Euro 2000 semi-finalists opened the scoring thanks to Sergio Conceicao’s curling strike. Matt Holland’s rocket salvaged a vital point for Ireland and the teams were equally matched during the return game in Dublin.

My abiding memory from that match was the impression that Rui Costa played the entire game with a cigar in his hand, a brandy in the other and a silk jacket on his back. He was pure class.

How they fared: They topped the qualification group but absolutely flopped in the World Cup. They didn’t get out of their group following defeats to the USA and South Korea.

7) Italy- Euro 2012

Result: Italy 2-0 Ireland

Their side in Poznan: Buffon, Abate, Barzagli, Chiellini, Balzaretti, Pirlo, Marchisio, Thiago Motta, De Rossi, Di Natale, Cassano.

The match: This Pirlo-centric Italian side will go down in history as something of an anomaly because this campaign is shoe-horned between two disastrous World Cup campaigns, the Italians crashed and burned in the group stages at both the ’10 and ’14 World Cups.

Ireland were like fish in a barrel here though and Prandelli’s men made light work of Trap’s side.

Kevin Doyle did miss two half-chances early on but as the game wore on, Italy began to make their superiority known. Goals from Cassano and Balotelli were enough to secure the win for the Italians and safe passage out of the group.

How they fared: Finished second in the group before beating England on penalties in the quarter-finals and Germany in the semi-final. Spain absolutely thumped them in the final though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78_9ACWwrvM

Clip via – EMBproduction

6) Argentina- ’98 Friendly

The result: Ireland 0-2 Argentina

Their side in Dublin: Germán Burgos, Roberto Ayala, Roberto Sensini, Diego Simeone, Juan Sebastián Verón, Sergio Berti, Ariel Ortega, Gabriel Batistuta, Matías Almeyda , Claudio López, Nelson Vivas

The match: The Argentinians ripped Ireland apart in the first 40 minutes of this World Cup warm-up thanks to goals from Batistuta and Ortega. What was impressive though was how they managed to dictate the entire pace of the game in the second-half. Ireland were simply outclassed and were never in the match.

How they fared: 100% record in their World Cup group which contained Jamaica, Croatia and Japan. They dispatched of England in that famous last-16 game in St. Étienne and had it not been for Dennis Bergkamp’s moment of magic in Marseille, who knows what they could have done in France?

Clip via – Frank de Jong

5) Germany – World Cup ’02

The result: Ireland 1-1 Germany.

Their side in Ibaraki: Oliver Kahn, Thomas Linke, Carsten Ramelow, Christoph Metzelder, Torsten Frings, Dietmar Hamann, Michael Ballack, Bernd Schneider, Christian Ziege, Carsten Jancker, Miroslav Klose.

The match: We all know where we were when Robbie’s goal went in. Look at this over and over and over and over and over again.

How they fared: While clearly not the most skillful team on this list, there’s no denying Germany’s ability to find form and pick up wins in tournament football. This Oliver Kahn inspired side made it all the way to the final in Japan/South Korea before losing to a Brazil team that had the deadly trio of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo.

Clip via – dinadangdong

4) Italy – ’05 Friendly

The result: Ireland 1-2 Italy

Their team in Dublin: Roma, Zaccardo, Cannavaro, Nesta, Zambrotta, Gattuso, Pirlo, De Rossi, Del Piero, Vieri, Gilardino .

The match: Brian Kerr’s unbeaten home record as Ireland manager was ended by a classy Italian outfit as goals from Vieri and Gilardino proved to be enough. Italy were dominant throughout and squandered countless other chances in a dominant win.

How they fared:  9 of his starting XI all have World Cup winners medals. Not bad.

3) France – W. C ’06 qualifying

The results: France 0-0 Ireland, Ireland 0-1 France

Their team in Dublin: Coupet, Sagnol, Thuram, Boumsong, Gallas, Makelele, Wiltord, Vieira, Dhorasoo, Zidane, Henry.

The match: Billed as a showdown between returning giants, Keane v Zidane, there was very little to separate both sides until Thierry Henry stepped up to curl a delicious strike past the despairing fingertips of Shay Given. This wouldn’t be the first time that the Arsenal icon broke Irish hearts, but the real damage to Ireland’s campaign was caused by two incredibly frustrating draws with Israel.

How they fared: Domenech was a clown but this French side didn’t even need a manager. Zidane dragged his country to the World Cup final against Italy, but we all know what happened in that game.

Clip via – PeteTop Carton

2) Germany – W.C 2014 qualifying

The results: Ireland 1-6 Germany, Germany 3-0 Ireland

Their team in Dublin: Neuer, Boateng, Mertesacker, Badstuber, Schmelzer, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Müller, Özil, Reus, Klose.

The match: Lambs. To. The. Slaughter.

Granted Martin O’Neill’s men faced the newly crowned World Champions in the Euro ’16 campaign but the Germans were trying to fit in new players while the expanded format for Euro ’16 meant that they were never in danger of elimination, this wasn’t the case in 2013.

The lowest ebb of the Trap era arrived as the movement of Müller, Özil and Reus absolutely ripped apart a heavily depleted Ireland. It was one of the very worst days in the history of Irish football but we got our revenge soon enough.

What a difference two years can make.

Clip via – The Soccer Channel

1) Spain – Euro ’12

The result: Ireland 0-4 Spain

Spain team in Gdansk: Casillas, Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba, Alonso, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Silva, Torres.

The match: The final nail in Ireland’s Euro 2012 coffin was delivered by the greatest side in the history of international football. Euro 08 and ’12 crowns, along with the 2010 World Cup, ensures Spain’s formidable legacy in football history.

How they fared: Topped the group before dispatching France, Portugal (on penalties) and Italy in the final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoSp2QtWt30

Clip via – Ollie Cull

With over two decades of international matches to chose from, what do you think of this list? There are countless other sides that we left out. Uruguay in Dublin, the Brazil teams that we faced in Dublin/London or even Croatia at Euro ’12.

Let us know by leaving a comment.