Heavy defeat would make us worst since 1980

Ireland may have nothing to play for in tonight’s closing Group C game against Italy but they certainly have something to fight against.

Lose by three or more goals to the Azzurri and the Republic will, officially, rank as the worst team to have competed at the continental classic since 1980 when Uefa first introduced the concept of a finals tournament with groups each of which contained four teams.

Nine sides have since finished the league phase of the tournament without a point to their name. Only twice, in Italy in 1980 and again in Sweden in 1992, have there been tournaments where at least one team didn’t get beaten three times.