‘It wasn't always like this’: Northern Ireland veterans eager to grasp World Cup chance

No Northern Irishman has graced that stage since 1986, while the likes of George Best, record scorer David Healy and Keith Gillespie missed out entirely.

Northern Ireland's elder statesmen are driven by a desire to feature at a World Cup finals before they call it a day, defender Chris Brunt has said.

Brunt scored a free-kick in a 2-0 success over the Czech Republic in Belfast on Monday night to take Michael O'Neill's men to the brink of a play-off in November that will determine if they will be involved in Russia next summer.