Northern Ireland national football team records and statistics

This page details Northern Ireland national football team records and statistics; the most capped players, the players with the most goals, and Northern Ireland's match record by opponent and decade.

Player records

Most capped players after the match against Georgia. RankPlayerCapsGoalsFirst CapLast Cap1Steven Davis140139 February 2005 vs. 27 September 2022 vs. 2Pat Jennings119015 April 1964 vs. 12 June 1986 vs. 3Aaron Hughes112125 March 1998 vs. 3 June 2018 vs. 4Jonny Evans10766 September 2006 vs. 8 June 2024 vs. 5David Healy953623 February 2000 vs. 26 March 2013 vs. 6Josh Magennis931226 May 2010 vs. 5 October 2026 vs. 7Mal Donaghy91016 May 1980 vs. 11 June 1994 vs. 8Kyle Lafferty892021 May 2006 vs. 12 June 2022 vs. 9Sammy McIlroy88516 February 1972 vs. 15 October 1986 vs. Maik Taylor88027 March 1999 vs. 11 October 2011 vs. 11Keith Gillespie8627 September 1995 vs. 19 November 2008 vs. 12Paddy McNair85725 March 2015 vs. 5 October 2026 vs. 13Gareth McAuley8094 June 2005 vs. 18 November 2018 vs. 14Chris Baird7903 June 2003 vs. 12 June 2016 vs. 15Jimmy Nicholl73124 March 1976 vs. 12 June 1986 vs. Niall McGinn73619 November 2008 vs. 12 June 2022 vs. Craig Cathcart7323 September 2010 vs. 7 September 2023 vs. 18Corry Evans7226 June 2009 vs. 11 June 2024 vs. 19Michael Hughes71513 November 1991 vs. 8 September 2004 vs. 20David McCreery6708 May 1976 vs. 18 May 1990 vs. 21Nigel Worthington66022 May 1984 vs. 11 February 1997 vs. 22Chris Brunt65318 August 2004 vs. 12 November 2017 vs. 23Martin O'Neill64813 October 1971 vs. 14 November 1984 vs. 24George Saville6405 October 2017 vs. 31 March 2026 vs. 25Gerry Armstrong631227 April 1977 vs. 12 June 1986 vs. 26Stuart Dallas62327 May 2011 vs. 29 March 2022 vs. 27Terry Neill59225 April 1961 vs. 19 May 1973 vs. Iain Dowie591227 March 1990 vs. 9 September 1999 vs. 29Oliver Norwood57011 August 2010 vs. 15 October 2018 vs. Shane Ferguson5726 June 2009 vs. 23 March 2023 vs. 31Danny Blanchflower5621 October 1949 vs. 28 November 1962 vs. Billy Bingham56912 May 1951 vs. 20 November 1963 vs. Damien Johnson56029 May 1999 vs. 14 October 2009 vs. 34Jimmy McIlroy55106 October 1951 vs. 24 November 1965 vs. 35Stephen Craigan54012 February 2003 vs. 29 March 2011 vs. 36Allan Hunter53122 October 1969 vs. 21 November 1979 vs. John McClelland53116 May 1980 vs. 27 March 1990 vs. Bailey Peacock-Farrell53029 May 2018 vs. 14 November 2025 vs. 39Alan McDonald52316 October 1985 vs. 27 March 1996 vs. Jim Magilton5255 February 1991 vs. 27 March 2002 vs. 41Sammy Nelson51121 April 1970 vs. 1 July 1982 vs. Chris Nicholl51330 October 1974 vs. 12 October 1983 vs. Gerry Taggart51727 March 1990 vs. 12 October 2002 vs. 44Bryan Hamilton50411 December 1968 vs. 18 June 1980 vs. James Quinn50424 April 1996 vs. 11 October 2006 vs. Players with an equal number of caps are ranked in chronological order of reaching the milestone.

Top goalscorers after the match against Georgia. RankPlayerNI CareerGoalsCapsGoals per gameFirst GoalLast Goal1David Healy2000–2013369523 February 2000 vs. 14 November 2012 vs. 2Kyle Lafferty2006–2022208916 August 2006 vs. 11 November 2016 vs. 3Billy Gillespie1913–1932132515 February 1913 vs. 20 October 1926 vs. Colin Clarke1986–1993133823 April 1986 vs. 9 September 1992 vs. Steven Davis2005–2022131408 October 2005 vs. 25 March 2022 vs. 6Joe Bambrick1928–1940121122 October 1928 vs. 16 March 1938 vs. Gerry Armstrong1977–1986126316 November 1977 vs. 14 November 1984 vs. Jimmy Quinn1984–1995124616 October 1984 vs. 11 October 1995 vs. Iain Dowie1990–1999125916 October 1991 vs. 18 November 1998 vs. Josh Magennis2010–12938 October 2015 vs. 15 October 2024 vs. 11Olphie Stanfield1887–1897113012 March 1887 vs. 6 March 1897 vs. Isaac Price2023–11367 September 2023 vs. 2 October 2026 vs. 13Jimmy McIlroy1951–196510556 October 1956 vs. 22 November 1961 vs. Peter McParland1954–1962103431 March 1954 vs. 9 November 1960 vs. Johnny Crossan1959–1967102428 November 1962 vs. 2 October 1965 vs. 16Billy Bingham1951–19639563 November 1954 vs. 12 October 1963 vs. George Best1964–197793714 November 1964 vs. 21 April 1971 vs. Norman Whiteside1982–198993821 September 1983 vs. 6 September 1989 vs. Gareth McAuley2005–201898011 February 2009 vs. 11 November 2016 vs. 20Derek Dougan1958–197384313 April 1961 vs. 21 April 1971 vs. Willie Irvine1963–197282330 May 1963 vs. 10 September 1968 vs. Martin O'Neill1971–198486428 March 1973 vs. 12 September 1984 vs. 23John Peden1887–189972412 March 1887 vs. 19 February 1898 vs. Billy McAdams1954–19627153 November 1954 vs. 25 April 1961 vs. Sammy Wilson1961–196771212 October 1963 vs. 30 March 1966 vs. Gerry Taggart1990–20027515 February 1991 vs. 3 June 1998 vs. Paddy McNair2015–78511 June 2019 vs. 5 September 2024 vs. Players with an equal number of goals are ranked in chronological order of reaching the milestone.

Most captaincies

after the match against Georgia. RankPlayerCaptaincy SpanTimesRecord as CaptainFirst CaptaincyLast CaptaincyWin %Draw %Loss %1Steven Davis2006–20228226 23 33 87 92 -5 31.71% 28.05% 40.24%21 May 2006 vs. 29 March 2022 vs. 2Aaron Hughes2002–20154712 18 17 46 56 -10 25.53% 38.30% 36.17%14 April 2002 vs. 31 May 2015 vs. 3Danny Blanchflower1954–19624210 12 20 60 96 -36 23.81% 28.57% 47.62%3 November 1954 vs. 28 November 1962 vs. 4Terry Neill1963–19733816 8 14 58 53 5 42.11% 21.05% 36.84%3 April 1963 vs. 19 May 1973 vs. 5Martin O'Neill1980–19843312 11 10 29 34 -5 36.36% 33.33% 30.30%26 March 1980 vs. 14 November 1984 vs. 6Alan McDonald1990–1995268 8 10 28 29 -1 30.77% 30.77% 38.46%17 May 1990 vs. 7 June 1995 vs. 7Steve Lomas1997–2003225 6 11 14 26 -12 22.73% 27.27% 50.00%10 September 1997 vs. 2 April 2003 vs. 8Allan Hunter1974–1979196 4 9 19 31 -12 31.58% 21.05% 47.37%30 October 1974 vs. 21 November 1979 vs. Sammy McIlroy1980–1986197 7 5 15 15 0 36.84% 36.84% 26.32%16 May 1980 vs. 12 June 1986 vs. 10John McClelland1984–1990174 5 8 15 21 -6 23.53% 29.41% 47.06%16 October 1984 vs. 27 March 1990 vs. 11Jonny Evans2015–2024164 2 10 14 24 -10 25.00% 12.50% 62.50%25 March 2015 vs. 8 June 2024 vs. 12Billy Gillespie1921–1930144 3 7 19 27 -8 28.57% 21.43% 50.00%22 October 1921 vs. 20 October 1930 vs. Maik Taylor2004–2011144 4 6 13 18 -5 28.57% 28.57% 42.86%31 March 2004 vs. 11 October 2011 vs. 14Dave Clements1973–1976133 3 7 6 12 -6 23.08% 23.08% 53.85%16 October 1973 vs. 27 March 1976 vs. 15Billy Cook1935–1939112 1 8 11 32 -21 18.18% 9.09% 72.73%13 November 1935 vs. 15 March 1939 vs. Jackie Vernon1947–1951111 2 8 13 40 -27 9.09% 18.18% 72.73%4 October 1947 vs. 20 November 1951 vs. Derek Dougan1971–1973114 2 5 9 9 0 36.36% 18.18% 45.45%21 April 1971 vs. 14 February 1973 vs. 18Billy Scott1908–1912101 1 8 8 29 -21 10.00% 10.00% 80.00%15 February 1908 vs. 10 February 1912 vs. Iain Dowie1996–1999103 4 3 7 10 -3 30.00% 40.00% 30.00%31 August 1996 vs. 29 May 1999 vs. 19Alf McMichael1952–195491 2 6 10 21 -11 11.11% 22.22% 66.67%19 March 1952 vs. 2 October 1954 vs. Nigel Worthington1993–199793 2 4 14 14 0 33.33% 22.22% 44.44%8 September 1993 vs. 22 January 1997 vs.

Captaincy appearances are only awarded to players who were assigned the captaincy at the start of an international game.Players with an equal number of captaincies are ranked in chronological order of reaching the milestone.

Most clean sheets

after the match against Georgia. RankPlayerNI CareerClean SheetsCapsClean sheets per gameFirst Clean SheetLast Clean Sheet1Pat Jennings1964–19864511929 April 1964 vs. 23 April 1986 vs. 2Maik Taylor1999–2011348831 March 1999 vs. 8 October 2010 vs. 3Roy Carroll1997–2017184521 May 1997 vs. 2 June 2017 vs. Bailey Peacock-Farrell2018–185329 May 2018 vs. 10 October 2025 vs. 5Michael McGovern2010–2020163330 May 2010 vs. 5 September 2019 vs. 6Tommy Wright1989–1999113126 April 1989 vs. 29 March 1997 vs. 7Pierce Charles2024–91612 October 2024 vs. 5 October 2026 vs. 8Alan Mannus2004–2016796 June 2004 vs. 27 May 2016 vs. 9Conor Hazard2018–7113 June 2018 vs. 31 March 2026 vs. 10Elisha Scott1920–193663118 April 1925 vs. 5 December 1931 vs. Jim Platt1976–198662324 March 1976 vs. 15 December 1982 vs. Alan Fettis1991–199862526 April 1995 vs. 10 October 1998 vs. 13Billy Scott1903–191352521 March 1903 vs. 19 March 1910 vs. 14Harry Gregg1954–196342510 April 1957 vs. 17 October 1961 vs. Allen McKnight1987–198941011 November 1987 vs. 14 September 1988 vs. Jonny Tuffey2008–20114812 August 2009 vs. 17 November 2010 vs.

A goalkeeper is awarded a clean sheet if he does not concede a goal during his time on the pitch.

Hat-tricks The result is presented with Northern Ireland's score first. PlayerGoalsDateOpponentVenueResultType of GameRef Olphie Stanfield 4* 7 February 1891 Ulsterville, Belfast, Northern Ireland 7–2 1890–91 British Home Championship Jack Peden 3 8 April 1893 Solitude, Belfast, Northern Ireland 4–3 1892–93 British Home Championship Andy Gara 3 22 February 1902 Ninian Park, Cardiff, Wales 3–0 1901–02 British Home Championship Harold Sloan 3 2 April 1906 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales 4–4 1905–06 British Home Championship Joe Bambrick 6* 1 February 1930 Celtic Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland 7–0 1929–30 British Home Championship Billy McAdams 3 26 October 1960 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland 3–4 1962 FIFA World Cup Group 3 Qualifier Johnny Crossan 3 7 May 1965 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland 4–1 1966 FIFA World Cup Group 5 Qualifier George Best 3 21 April 1971 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland 5–0 UEFA Euro 1972 Group 4 Qualifier Colin Clarke 3 11 September 1991 Landskrona IP, Landskrona, Sweden 5–0 UEFA Euro 1992 Group 4 Qualifier David Healy 3 6 September 2006 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland 3–2 UEFA Euro 2008 Group F Qualifier David Healy 3 24 March 2007 Rheinpark, Vaduz, Liechtenstein 4–1 UEFA Euro 2008 Group F Qualifier Isaac Price 3 15 October 2024 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland 5–0 2024–25 UEFA Nations League C More than a hat-trick scored *

Red cards The result is presented with Northern Ireland's score first.