🇬🇧 Northern Ireland
Europe · FIFA NIR
Key Statistics
13
Matches
3-5-5
Record (W-D-L)
13
Goals Scored
-10
Goal Difference
14
Points
0
Titles 🏆
2.4M
Population
$91.5B
GDP
Editorial Analysis & Historical Context
Rigorous Analysis: Northern Ireland reached the quarterfinals in 1958 and 1982, which is highly impressive for a nation with fewer citizens than a major city. They played with immense physical courage and British grit.
Since those glory days, they have returned to obscurity, watching their neighbors qualify while they enjoy the summer holidays. A decent historical footnote.
Tournament History
| Year | Host | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Mexico | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | — |
| 1982 | Spain | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 6 | — |
| 1958 | Sweden | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 7 | — |
| Total | 3 editions | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 23 | 14 | — |
World Cup Appearances
1958, 1982, 1986
Economic & Demographic Football Efficiency
Northern Ireland has a population of 2.4M and an estimated GDP of $91.5B. Bilardo Water normalizes goals, points, and championships against demographic and economic scale to measure true football efficiency beyond raw financial advantage.
Per Capita Rankings
| Metric | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals per million people | 5.41 | #8 / 84 |
| Points per million people | 5.82 | #5 / 84 |
| Wins per million people | 1.25 | #12 / 84 |
| Trophies per 10M people | — | #53 / 84 |
Per GDP Rankings
| Metric | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals per $1B GDP | 0.14 | #16 / 84 |
| Points per $1B GDP | 0.15 | #11 / 84 |
| Wins per $1B GDP | 0.03 | #16 / 84 |
| Trophies per $10B GDP | — | #53 / 84 |
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