BestOnlineBettingSites.co.uk

Menu
  • Home
  • Betting Offers
    • Bet & Get Free Bets: Bet £5/£10 Get £20/£30/£40 in Free Bets
    • Acca Insurance
  • Bookmakers
    • BetVictor
    • Ladbrokes
    • Coral
    • 888Sport
    • Betfair
    • Betfred
    • Betway
    • William Hill
    • Unibet
    • Totesport
    • Boylesports
  • Football Betting SItes
  • Football Bets
    • Accumulators
    • Ante Post Betting
    • Both Teams to Score
    • Correct Score
    • Football Pools
    • Goalscorer Betting
    • Handicap Betting
    • Total Goals (Over/Under)
  • Strategy

Northern Ireland at the Euros: European Championship Results, Stats & History

Northern Ireland Football Flag IconNorthern Ireland have featured in just one European Championship since the competition started. After failing to qualify for 13 tournaments from 1964 to 2012 (they didn’t enter the inaugural competition in 1960), they eventually reached a European Championship when they qualified for UEFA Euro 2016 in France.

They couldn’t repeat this feat in 2020 though, and although they made it to the qualifier playoffs, ultimately they couldn’t find their way to the finals.

UEFA European Championship Results

Until finally reaching the European Championship finals in France in 2016, Northern Ireland had failed to qualify for 13 consecutive tournaments, which some would say is far from lucky. They did not enter qualification for the first European Nations’ Cup in 1960, so their first qualifying campaign was for Spain ’64.

Their one appearance at the Euros was a momentous occasion, and they performed well given the size of the nation (see below).

Year Host Stage of Elimination (Position) Manager Top Scorer
2016 France Round of 16 (16th) Michael O’Neill Gareth McAuley (1) & Niall McGinn (1)

Have Northern Ireland Ever Won the Euros?

Northern Ireland have never won the Euros, which should come as no great surprise. In their one Euros appearance they finished in 16th place out of the 24 teams involved.

Best Performances

Northern Ireland Football Fans at Euro 2016

Credit: katatonia82 (bigstock)

Northern Ireland reached the knockout stages in their first and only European Championship appearance to date in France in 2016. Michael O’Neill’s troops had a memorable qualifying campaign, shocking many by winning qualifying Group F. Norn Iron won six, drew three and lost one of 10 to finish a point ahead of Romania – Hungary, Finland, Faroe Islands and Greece were also in their group.

The Euro 2016 draw as not kind to Northern Ireland, as they were pitted against Germany, Poland and Ukraine in their group. O’Neill’s men started with a narrow 1-0 loss to the Poles in Nice before goals from Gareth McAuley and Niall McGinn gave them a crucial 2-0 victory over Ukraine in Lyon. Despite a 1-0 loss to the Germans in their final group game, the Green and White Army marched through to the knockouts as one of the best third place teams.

Fellow Brits Wales – who were also making their first European Championship appearance – were waiting in the Round of 16. It was a tense and tight game at the Parc des Princes in Paris, with an own goal from McAuley putting Chris Coleman’s Dragons through to the last eight in France, sending Northern Ireland home in the process.

Given that Wales then beat Belgium and only lost in the semi finals to eventual winners Portugal, there was no disgrace for Northern Ireland in losing to Wales.

Times Northern Ireland Didn’t Qualify For the Euros

Northern Ireland Football Fans Sad

Northern Ireland have had a pretty terrible qualifying record over the years. However, they did go close on one or two occasions before reaching Euro 2016. They finished second to England in qualifying for Euro 1980, while they picked up five wins in the 1985 and 1992 qualifying campaigns. Northern Ireland won half of their 12 Euro 2008 qualifying fixtures, but Spain and Sweden finished above them in the end.

During the ultimately unsuccessful qualifying campaign for Euro 2008, Northern Ireland’s David Healy scored a record 13 goals, a feat only matched once (by Robert Lewandowski of Poland during the qualifying campaign for Euro 2016).

Year Host Manager Played Won Draw Loss
2020 Europe Ian Barraclough 8 4 1 3
2012 Poland & Ukraine Nigel Worthington 10 2 3 5
2008 Austria & Switzerland Lawrie Sanchez / Nigel Worthington 12 6 2 4
2004 Portugal Sammy McIlroy 8 0 3 5
2000 Belgium & Netherlands Lawrie McMenemy 8 1 2 5
1996 England Bryan Hamilton 10 5 2 3
1992 Sweden Billy Bingham 8 2 3 3
1988 West Germany Billy Bingham 6 1 1 4
1984 France Billy Bingham 8 5 1 2
1980 Italy Danny Blanchflower 8 4 1 3
1976 Yugoslavia Dave Clements 6 3 0 3
1972 Belgium Billy Bingham 6 2 2 2

Leagues & Cups

  • World Cup
  • Champions League
  • El Clasico
  • European Championships (Euros)
  • FA Cup
  • Football League Cup
  • Premier League
  • Nations League

Cup Performances

  • Euros
    • Czech Republic
    • Denmark
    • England
    • France
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Italy
    • Netherlands
    • Northern Ireland
    • Portugal
    • Ireland
    • Russia
    • Scotland
    • Spain
    • Sweden
    • Wales
  • World Cup
    • Argentina
    • Australia
    • Austria
    • Belgium
    • Brazil
    • Bulgaria
    • Canada
    • Chile
    • Croatia
    • England
    • France
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Hungary
    • Italy
    • Jamaica
    • Japan
    • Mexico
    • Netherlands
    • New Zealand
    • North Korea
    • Northern Ireland
    • Poland
    • Portugal
    • Ireland
    • Russia
    • Scotland
    • South Africa
    • South Korea
    • Spain
    • Sweden
    • Turkey
    • Uruguay
    • USA
    • Wales

Betting Guides

  • Accumulator Betting
  • Ante Post Football Betting
  • Both Teams to Score Betting
  • Correct Score Betting Tips
  • Football Pools Betting
  • Goalscorer Betting
  • Handicap Betting
  • How to Pick Winners: Tips for Football Betting
  • Total Goals (Over/Under) Betting
  • Football Bets: How to Bet on Football
  • Betting Glossary: A-Z of Betting Terms
  • What is a Betting Exchange?

Betting Offers

  • Acca Insurance
  • Bet & Get Free Bets: Bet £5/£10 Get £20/£30/£40 in Free Bets
  • Free Bets and Betting Sign Up Offers

Bookmakers

  • 888Sport
  • Betbright
  • Betfair
  • Betfred
  • BetVictor
  • Betway
  • Blue Square
  • Boylesports
  • Coral
  • Ladbrokes
  • Paddy Power
  • Stan James
  • Totesport
  • Unibet
  • Vernons
  • William Hill
  • Best Betting Sites for Big Bets on Football

Popular Posts

  • Germany World Cup Record
  • England Football Team Stats, Trivia and History
  • Bet & Get Free Bets: Bet £5/£10 Get £20/£30/£40 in Free Bets
  • Liverpool FC
  • Manchester United
  • Football Bets: How to Bet on Football
18 plusOver 18s only.

Free bets, promotions & offers are available to new customers only unless stated; wagering requirements and other terms and conditions apply.

Please gamble responsibly.

BestOnlineBettingSites.co.uk

Copyright © 2022 BestOnlineBettingSites.co.uk
18+ Only | Always Be Gamble Aware