10 Greatest Ireland Players in Football History [Ranked]

During the late 1980s and through most of the 1990s, the Republic of Ireland punched well above their weight, regularly qualifying for the knockout stages of international competitions and ruffling a few feathers on the way. Ireland’s last major tournament came in 2016 when they beat Italy to reach the round of 16 at Euro 2016. Former Manchester United and Ireland captain, Roy Keane, is viewed as one of the best football pundits and ranks highly below.

Johnny Giles also features highly. Giles played in the legendary Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s and is believed by many to be the club’s greatest ever signing. Another Irish legend in the top three is Paul McGrath, who has arguably been the best defender Aston Villa have ever had in the Premier League era. Read on to find out who else is included in the ranking of the 10 Greatest Ireland Players in football history.

10 David O’Leary

Career span: 1975-1994

For many football fans, David O’Leary would be in the rankings for the best manager to have never won a trophy, but he was also a player who had a long and successful playing career with Arsenal, where he won everything playing in the English domestic game. This included the 1989 First Division title, when Arsenal went to Anfield for the final game of the season, requiring a win by two clear goals, in order to deny their opponents the league. Arsenal sealed a 2-0 win with an injury-time goal from Michael Thomas. O’Leary was the only non-Englishman in the Arsenal side that night, playing as sweeper behind Tony Adams and Steve Bould. The following year, he scored Ireland’s decisive penalty in their World Cup second round win, setting up a historic quarter-final with Italy.

9 John O’Shea

Career span: 1999 – 2019

John O’Shea has previously been associated with his influence in Manchester United’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, after the young winger gave the Irishman the runaround in a pre-season friendly between Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United. Yet O’Shea was far more than a stooge, he was a versatile competitor at a time when United won everything in the game. With 118 Ireland caps, he is third in the list of his country’s most capped players, in a period that spanned 17 years. Such was O’Shea’s versatility, he even replaced Edwin van der Sar in goal when the Dutchman broke his nose.

8 Niall Quinn

Career span: 1985 – 2003

One of several players who turned out for both Arsenal and Manchester City, centre forward Niall Quinn played at Maine Road sometime before City were the dominant force they are today. Standing at six foot four, Quinn was a towering presence, scoring 69 goals in 219 appearances. On leaving City, Quinn formed one of the classic little and large striking partnerships, when he joined Sunderland to play alongside Kevin Phillips. Quinn scored 62 Sunderland goals in 208 appearances. He was also a reliable player for the national team, scoring the equaliser in Ireland’s draw with the Netherlands at the 1990 World Cup. In total, he scored 21 goals for his country.

7 Ray Houghton

Career span: 1979 – 2000

Having shone in the Oxford United team that won the 1986 League Cup, midfielder Ray Houghton was bought by Liverpool, where he won the title and the FA Cup twice each, enjoying great on-field camaraderie with Ian Rush, John Aldridge and John Barnes, Houghton had a great knack of arriving at the right time to finish with composure. Houghton embarrassed England, with Ireland’s winner over the English in the 1988 Euros in Germany. Houghton also scored a memorable Ireland goal in the USA 94 World Cup, where he found the net from outside the box to beat Italy in New York.

6 Shay Given

Career span: 1996 – 2017

Such is the impression made by Shay Given, he is often described as one of Newcastle’s greatest ever players, as well as one of the 20 greatest keepers in Premier League history. Strong, athletic and consistent, the Irish keeper was a constant figure in goal from the late 1990s to the end of his career in 2017, in which time he earned 134 caps. Twice named Ireland footballer of the year – in 2005 and 2006, Given had to leave St James’ Park to win honours, but he was on the bench for Manchester City’s 2011 FA Cup final victory, with Joe Hart starting.

5 Robbie Keane

Career span: 1997 – 2018

Considered one of the best to ever wear the Tottenham number 10 jersey, Robbie Keane is Ireland’s all time most capped player for Ireland, with 146 appearance in the emerald jersey. Keane is also Ireland’s top goalscorer, having found the net 68 times between 1998 and 2016. Keane’s most prolific periods in his career came at Spurs, where he scored 122 goals in 306 games, and the Los Angeles Galaxy, where he found the net on 104 occasions in 165 games. Known for his goal celebration, which was his own take on the forward role, Keane’s national goal-scoring record is unlikely to be broken anytime soon.

4 Johnny Giles

Career span: 1963 – 1975

At five foot seven, Johnny Giles was small in stature, but a feared player in the Leeds United team, for his ability and his aggression. The Irishman was hugely competitive and had no problem flying into a tackle. Having had his own leg broken as a youngster, he was determined not to be hurt again, as brutal tackles ensued. Alongside Billy Bremner in the Leeds midfield, Giles would help make things happen for Leeds, who won the League title and FA Cup with the Irishman in the side, he would play in the 1970 FA Cup Final with Chelsea, the replay of which became known as the most brutal game in English football history.

3 Liam Brady

Career span: 1973 – 1990

Attacking midfielder Liam Brady was a composed ane elegant player with a wand of a left foot, who scored a memorable long-range goal in the North London derby with Tottenham. Considered one of the greatest ever players to progress through the youth ranks at Arsenal, Brady later excelled in Italy, at a time when Serie A was arguably the strongest league in all of world football. There. with Juventus, he won back-to-back Serie A titles in 1981 and 1982. He also went on to play for Sampdoria, Inter Milan and Ascoli, before returning back to England with West Ham.

2 Paul McGrath

Career span: 1982 – 1998

Widely considered as one of Aston Villa’s greatest signings of all time, as well as one of the club’s best ever defenders in the Premier League era, Paul McGrath had serious problems with his knees, but left Manchester United for Aston Villa for just £400k in 1989, at the peak of his powers. McGrath’s struggles with alcoholism have been well documented, but perhaps it’s not been spoken about on just how talented he was as a footballer. His performance in Ireland’s one-nil win over Italy in the 1994 World Cup is still seen as a master class in defending, even if he had only been declared 60% fit for the tournament.

1 Roy Keane

Career span: 1990 – 2006

Often listed as one of the greatest midfielders to have ever graced the Premier League, as well as one of Manchester United’s greatest ever players, Roy Keane can consider himself the greatest Irish footballer of all time. Perhaps others in these rankings were more gifted, but how Keane bootstrapped himself into becoming captain of the dominant force in English football in the 1990s and 2000s sets him apart from the rest. Yes, there was controversy. He ended the career of Alf Inge Haaland, with a brutal tackle, he also walked out on his country during the 2002 World Cup over a row about poor training facilities, but Keane was indefatigable in midfield.

Stats via Transfermarkt.