Northern Ireland v Malta: We’re hungry for more success five years after Euros history

Monday, 13 April marked five years since Northern Ireland qualified for the Euro 2022 finals.

It was a historic night at Seaview as Northern Ireland beat both Ukraine and the odds to qualify for a first major tournament, which would take place the following year in England.

Of the 23 players who went to Southampton, only nine are still involved for the current World Cup campaign.

That number will hit double figures when influential captain and key striker Simone Magill returns after expecting her first child later in the spring, but a lot has changed for Northern Ireland.

In terms of average age, the squad has dropped from 26.7 to 25.2, while the average caps has also fallen from 42.3 to 28.4.

Not only has Kenny Shiels’ tenure ended, but so has that of his successor, Tanya Oxtoby, and Tuesday’s game with Malta will mark the first game in charge for Michael McArdle as boss.

Rebecca McKenna has been a constant over the past half decade, and at the age of 25 she is on the verge of winning her 60th cap against Malta in 2027 World Cup qualifying.

The Birmingham City defender has seen it all in that time, and she says while she doesn’t think “there’s any real comparisons” between the generations, she feels the current youthful group are as “special” as the Euro 2022 history-makers.

“Qualifying for the Euros five years ago, I think that’s just made us hungrier,” McKenna, who turned 25 on Monday, told BBC Sport NI.

“That was a special moment and for that group and we deserved to be there.

“I think the group we have now is just as special and I think all the girls who are here, deserve to be here.”