On this Saint Paddy's Day, we remember some of Ireland's greatest ever players
As people across the world celebrate St. Patrick's Day, We look back at some of the Emerald Isle's most beloved football players. From way back in the day to the recent past, Ireland has produced some world class talent in all areas of the pitch and we have decided to rank our top five of all time.
Let us know on Twitter how much you agree or disagree with our choices.
5. Shay Given
During his long career, Irish goalie Shay Given played for some of the biggest clubs in English football including Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle United, where he spent the majority of his playing days. He made 463 appearances during his 12-year stay at St James' Park and is widely regarded as a club legend there. He won the Intertoto Cup at Newcastle but his favourite trophy was certainly the FA Cup, which he won with City and also reached the final with Newcastle and Villa. He is Ireland's second most capped player of all time with 134 appearances for his country, playing at several World Cup tournaments in the process. Given is remembered as a world class shot stopper with fantastic agility and longevity. Since his retirement in 2017, he's worked sporadically as a coach including as an assistant at Aston Villa and Derby County.
4. Paul McGrath
Legendary centre back Paul McGrath is considered by many to be one of the greatest Irish players of all time. He played 203 games for Manchester United in the 1980s and 323 games for Aston Villa in the 1990s, where he is remembered as one of the most iconic players in the history of the club. He spent seven full seasons with each club and is one of only six defenders to have ever won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award. McGrath played 83 times for his country, appearing at the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups, as well as UEFA Euro 1988, the nation's first-ever international tournament. Despite a difficult childhood, McGrath overcame to enjoy a spectacular career at club and international level. He won the FA Cup with United and two League Cups with Aston Villa.
3. Robbie Keane
It's impossible to have a list of influential Irish footballers without including the name Robbie Keane. The man spent a decade as captain of the Irish national team until his retirement from international football in 2016. He remains the country's most capped player of all time and top goalscorer. To say that Keane has been synonymous with Irish football for the previous two decades would be an understatement. At club level he started his career at Wolves where he is still very fondly remembered, before playing for such teams as Inter Milan, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Celtic and LA Galaxy. His 20 year club career spanned three continents and ten different clubs. He scored bags of goals wherever he went but was most potent at LA Galaxy and Spurs, where he was arguably the most important player both squads. He won the League Cup with Spurs and the MLS Cup with Galaxy and was known for his acrobatic celebrations and prolific goalscoring. Since retirement, Keane has taken on assistant coaching roles at Ireland and Middlesbrough and surely has a wealth of experience which could be invaluable to younger strikers.
2. Roy Keane
The only Keane who could outshine Robbie would be Roy. The beloved TV pundit left behind an outstanding legacy in the game after his retirement from playing in 2006. Between playing for the legendary Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest and Gordon Strachan at Celtic, he was part of probably the best club side ever to exist in English football - the Manchester United team of the 90s/00s. Despite doing great things at Forest, he is understandably remembered as the rock which held together the behemoth that was Fergie's United. He made 480 appearances for United across 12 years before moving to Celtic in 2006. He won seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the UEFA Champions League and other honours during his illustrious career at Old Trafford. Often wrongly remembered as only a tough tackling disruptor in the midfield, Keane was also technically sound and extremely intelligent. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year on five occasions. While his time at United will overshadow his time with the Irish national team, Keane still has a lot to be proud of on that front. He made 67 appearances for his country across a 14 year period and returned as assistant manager under Martin O'Neill for a further five years between 2013-2018. He also did a very respectable job as manager of Sunderland and Ipswich Town. However, what Keane will mostly be remembered for is his historic playing career, and particularly his success at Manchester United.
1. George Best
At the top of our list is another Manchester United legend - George Best. Widely regarded as simply one of the best footballers in the history of the game, the Northern-Irish sensation spent 11 seasons at Manchester United before touring the world playing for clubs in the United States, Australia and Hong Kong to but name a few places. In the style of Pele and Maradona, Best was a worldwide icon of the sport known for his raw talent and skill. During his time at United, for whom he is mostly remembered playing, Best made 470 appearances and scored 179 goals. He was part of the famous Sir Matt Busby team of the 1960s. He won the 1968 Ballon d'Or as he was recognised as the best player on the planet at that time. For Northern Ireland, he made 37 appearances and scored 9 goals. Best is, in the eyes of many, simply the best football player to ever come from the island of Ireland. He will forever be remembered by Manchester United and Northern Ireland fans across the world.
So there you have it, our list of the five best players to ever come from Ireland.
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