For Republic of Ireland fans, the nerves really started to kick in on Thursday night. Less than 72 hours later, Parrott started again for Alkmaar. "Everyone was keeping an eye on his game," said Republic of Ireland assistant coach John O'Shea. Having avoided any late injury scares, the Republic of Ireland squad assembled on Sunday before the biggest week of their international careers. The mission is clear: win two games and they qualify for the country's first World Cup since 2002.

Source: BBC March 25, 2026 14:01 UTC