Ireland vs. Ecuador

[Big Ears]

The ROI's record in the European Championships is much better

Reaching the Quarter-Finals in 1964(although only the semi's and final were recognized as part of the main tournament then) .

Qualified in 1988 and went out in the Group stages

Second in qualifying group in 1996 , lost playoff 2-0 Holland .

Second in qualifying group 2000 , lost playoff on away goals(1-1) to Turkey .

Northern Ireland have never made the final tournament and have never gotten to a playoff and finnished bottom of their last qualifying group for the European Championships behind Armenia .

[The Sheliban]

You haven't acheived greater success than Northern Ireland. We achieved the Quarter finals Twice. 1958 and in 1982 in which we topped the group and beat the hosts. We reached the 2nd round in 86.

We also hold the record for youngest ever goalscorer in the World Cup.

We also had arguebly the greatest ever player in George Best and also one of the greatest Goalkeepers.

We are the last and current holders of the Home Championships.

Compare that to your wee country?

You qualified 3 times - Same as us
You got to the quarters once - Inferior to us
You qualified to the 2nd round 3 times - the same, but we qualified to the quarters 2 of the 3 times.

Can't think of any ROI players that can be labeled the worlds best. Although you have had a few good players eg Roy Keane. But never anyone of the calibre of Best.

So who has the best record?

1958 you got through the group stage - fair play, good result, but 50 years ago.
Your 82 and 86 exploits have already been pointed out - not quite as good as you are making out.
So you had George Best? Well done, but he never got you to a World Cup Finals. No point having two good players and a load of journeymen. Football is a team game. None of our players who played in the thre World Cups would probably have made the English team, except maybe Keane and McGrath. But our sum was greater than our individual parts.
Although at this moment in time, I agree your "sum of parts" is possibly greater than ours, though with Sanchez gone, I think you have an uphill battle to qualify.