Northern Ireland’s Manager Emphasizes Opportunity Ahead of Crucial Play-off Against Italy

Michael O’Neill believes that the pressure is squarely on Italy as they prepare for the play-off semi-final on March 26.

With Northern Ireland just two matches away from qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, O’Neill has encouraged his players not to “waste this opportunity.”

The journey to North America is far from easy, as they face Italy in the semi-final. A victory against the Azzurri would set up a decisive match against either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina five days later.

Italy has not qualified for a World Cup since the 2014 tournament in Brazil, while Northern Ireland has not appeared in a World Cup since 1986 in Mexico, which is notable as Mexico will co-host the event alongside Canada and the USA next year.

Despite having a youthful squad, O’Neill is confident in their ability to rise to the challenge presented by the play-offs. He acknowledged past away defeats to Germany and Slovakia but expressed optimism about their performances, indicating they have shown potential in tough situations.

“Winning away in international football is challenging, and that’s a skill our team still needs to develop. However, I’m encouraged by our performances in Cologne and Slovakia, where we faced significant challenges and were missing key players,” he remarked.

“In Germany, we were competitive for 70-75 minutes, and we held our ground in Slovakia until the end, feeling slightly wronged by the result. We need to complicate the game for Italy, especially considering the expectations they face. If we can elevate our performance levels, then who knows? We have a chance to reach the World Cup, and we must do everything to seize it. I will remind them: ‘don’t waste the opportunity.'”

Wales is set to host Bosnia, while Northern Ireland will head to Italy for their respective play-offs.

Northern Ireland finished third in their qualification group, behind Germany and Slovakia, but their Nations League performance secured them a place in the play-off.

Conversely, Italy has not been in top form recently, finishing second in their group behind Norway, suffering a 3-0 defeat away and a 4-1 loss at home in their final group match.

“While we would have preferred to face another team from Pot One, to reach the World Cup, we will need to defeat two strong teams,” O’Neill added. “Italy away will be a significant challenge, yet it also presents a tremendous opportunity for us. The expectation and pressure are predominantly on the Italians, which we must leverage to our advantage.”

He acknowledged Italy’s recent struggles, noting their losses to Norway and recognizing the caliber of their squad, which is largely composed of Serie A players, and the passionate leadership of their manager, Gennaro Gattuso.

“We have four months to prepare thoroughly, examining Italy in detail. Preparation starts now,” he stated.

The prospect of Italy missing a third consecutive World Cup is astonishing, given their four-time championship history. Their failure to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia and Qatar 2022 was marked by defeats in play-offs.

This history may inspire hope in Northern Ireland, but O’Neill emphasized the importance of focusing on his own team’s readiness for the semi-final.

“The current Italian team is not the same as the one from eight years ago. Not all their players will bear the weight of past playoff failures. While the nation carries that burden and the expectations of their supporters, our focus must remain on our own performance.”