Irish football fansFAI
It has been a mixed start to life as the national team manager for Haimir Hallgrimsson, as the Irish won twice in their six Nations League outings in 2024.
But, there will still be a huge challenge ahead of the coach and his players, as World Cup qualification gets underway in September.
Hopes of a famous run to the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026 will be the major aim, but who are some of the best Irish players right now that will be expected to play their part for the nation?
Caoimhin Kelleher
One of the best performing Irish players in the 2024-25 season has been Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher.
The goalkeeper has stepped in for the injured Alisson throughout the campaign, with many experts indicating that he could be on the move in January due to the fact that he’s too good to be sitting on the bench. Kelleher has been at Liverpool, one of the best teams in the world right now according to Bodog News, since joining the academy in 2015, and he has featured heavily in pre-season matches and cup competitions.
The goalkeeper became the 12th Irish footballer to win the Champions League in 2019 after Liverpool beat Tottenham. He has since played important roles in the EFL Cup, being the hero from the spot in the 2022 final, and starring once again when keeping a clean sheet in the 2024 showpiece at Wembley.
The 2024-25 season has been a memorable one for Kelleher to this point, saving a Kylian Mbappe penalty in a 2-0 win over Real Madrid in October.
Troy Parrott
Scoring goals has been a major issue for Ireland over the last couple of years, but they appear to boast some excellent striking options at present. Troy Parrott has always been highly regarded in British and Irish football, with many expecting him to make an important after coming through the Tottenham Hotspur academy.
However, minutes were limited between 2019 and 2024 with the North London club, despite enjoying strong loan spells at clubs such as Ipswich Town and Preston North End.
Parrott would ultimately decide to move away from Spurs to further his career, and he joined Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2024. The striker scored four goals in AZ’s 9-1 win over Heerenveen in September, and he was later awarded the player of the month in the Eredivisie for December.
So far this season, the striker has scored eleven goals in 24 appearances, which marks his best league tally to this point in his club career.
Evan Ferguson
Evan Ferguson is widely considered to be one of the brightest young Irish stars of this generation. The 20-year-old has already made a pleasing impression on the international stage, netting four goals in 18 appearances.
However, continued injury struggles are threatening to de-rail his career on the field. Ferguson came through the academy at Irish outfit Bohemians, making his senior debut in a friendly draw against Chelsea when aged just 14 in July 2019. His ability was easy to spot from that young age, and Brighton beat Liverpool to his signature in January 2021.
Ferguson would make his Premier League debut in January 2022 when setting up the equalising goal in an eventual 2-1 win over West Brom in the FA Cup third round. However, the Irish international wouldn’t open his club account until the 2022-23 season.
Ferguson’s best performance to date for the Seagulls came when he netted an excellent hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Newcastle. He became only the fourth player in Premier League history to net a treble aged 18 or under. However, this season has been a struggle for the striker, as he has made just 12 appearances across all competitions, scoring once. He has been linked with a possible move to West Ham that could see him take a more active role as a starter.
Nathan Collins
Ireland has an excellent reputation of bring through tough tackling central defenders, and few have enjoyed the rise through the ranks that Nathan Collins has in recent seasons. Collins came through the youth ranks at Stoke City after signing for the English club in January 2016.
His influence was acknowledged by Nathan Jones at the start of the 2019-20 season, as he became Stoke’s youngest ever captain. However, his stay at the club would end in June 2021, as he signed a deal with Premier League club Burnley.
But, he would leave Turf Moor following their relegation, becoming the most-expensive Irish player in history when signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers. He would form an integral part of the back line, which would ultimately survive the threat of relegation.
However, he was on the move again in July 2023, as Brentford paid a club-record fee for his services. His first goal was scored in a 3-2 win over West Ham. Collins would score against his former side Wolves in the 2024-25, netting a header in a 5-3 home win.