The England–Republic of Ireland football rivalry is a rivalry between England and Republic of Ireland football teams. The first ever match was played on 30 September 1946 at Dalymount Park, Dublin. England won the match 1–0. On 21 September 1949, Republic of Ireland won the second match 2–0 which was played at Goodison Park, Liverpool and became the first non-British team to defeat England on their home soil.
Since then there have a been a total of 18 matches between both the teams with England winning eight, Republic of Ireland winning two, and eight games ending in a draw.
The teams were drawn together in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, where they faced each other home and away in their first competitive fixtures for 33 years.
History England and Ireland has a long-standing rivalry, stretching back to Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, when settlers started to control Irish affairs, British colonising the Irish Island and displacing the locals and with the Plantation of Ulster, the Catholic (local) majority was under the control of the Protestant minority settlers. After the Irish War of Independence, the British divided Ireland into two self-governing polities; which later became Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The split caused animosity between England and the Republic of Ireland which can be often seen when the countries meet in any sporting events.
Within football, England and Ireland began playing against one another regularly from the early 1880s, but this was the Ireland team organised by the Irish Football Association based in Belfast which favoured Ulster Protestant players; as participants in the British Home Championship, their relationship with England was fraternal. That Ireland team eventually evolved into the current Northern Ireland national football team, whereas the Republic of Ireland national football team formed in 1921 by the Football Association of Ireland in Dublin had no such sporting familiarity with England (although it was always the case that the majority of the best Irish players were based there) and clear differences in cultural and political leanings amongst their supporters.
The rivalry is further intensified when players of Irish descent switch allegiances to England, with Declan Rice and Jack Grealish being the latest examples, as both represented Republic of Ireland from U16 to U21 levels, then switched to England at senior level. Rice made three appearances for the Republic of Ireland before joining England. There have also been many more English-born players to have played for Ireland, some of whom also played for England at youth level.
Media sources describe this rivalry as being taken more seriously by Ireland than England.
List of matches
+ Key Republic of Ireland win England win Draw Match abandoned
No. Date Location Competition Home team Result Away team1.30 September 1946 DublinFriendlyRepublic of Ireland0–1England2.21 September 1949 LiverpoolFriendlyEngland0–2Republic of Ireland3.8 May 1957 London1958 FIFA World Cup qualificationEngland5–1Republic of Ireland4.19 May 1957 DublinRepublic of Ireland1–1England5.24 May 1964 DublinFriendlyRepublic of Ireland1–3England6.8 September 1976 LondonFriendlyEngland1–1Republic of Ireland7.25 October 1978 DublinUEFA Euro 1980 qualifyingRepublic of Ireland1–1England8.6 February 1980 LondonEngland2–0Republic of Ireland9.26 March 1985 LondonFriendlyEngland2–1Republic of Ireland10.12 June 1988 StuttgartUEFA Euro 1988England0–1Republic of Ireland11.11 June 1990 Cagliari1990 FIFA World CupEngland1–1Republic of Ireland12.14 November 1990 DublinUEFA Euro 1992 qualifyingRepublic of Ireland1–1England13.27 March 1991 LondonEngland1–1Republic of Ireland–15 February 1995 DublinFriendlyRepublic of Ireland1–0England14.29 May 2013 LondonFriendlyEngland1–1Republic of Ireland15.7 June 2015 DublinFriendlyRepublic of Ireland0–0England16.12 November 2020 LondonFriendlyEngland3–0Republic of Ireland17.7 September 2024 Dublin2024–25 UEFA Nations LeagueRepublic of Ireland0–2England18.17 November 2024 LondonEngland5–0Republic of Ireland
Statistics All-time top goalscorers NationPlayerGoalsYearsJohn Atyeo31955–57Tommy Taylor31953–57Gary Lineker21984–92Kevin Keegan21972–82
All-time most appearances NationPlayerAppearancesYearsPositionBryan Robson5MidfielderGary Lineker5ForwardPat Bonner5GoalkeeperPaul McGrath5DefenderDavid O'Leary5Defender
Overall Competition Matches Wins Draws Goals England Rep. of Ireland England Rep. of Ireland FIFA World Cup 1 0 0 1 1 1 FIFA World Cup qualification 2 1 0 1 6 2 UEFA European Championship 1 0 1 0 0 1 UEFA Euro qualification 4 1 0 3 5 3 UEFA Nations League 2 2 0 0 7 0 All competitions 10 4 1 5 19 7 Friendlies 8 4 1 3 11 6 All matches 18 8 2 8 30 13
References