DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland coach Hymir Hallgrimsson signed a new contract on Thursday ahead of a World Cup qualifying play-off tie that will see him play in Euro 2028 when Dublin hosts the tournament.
Hallgrimsson, who led Iceland to the first World Cup in 2018, said the Irish Football Association was under “huge pressure” to sign players ahead of the playoffs.
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Ireland face the Czech Republic next Thursday, with the winner facing either Denmark or North Macedonia five days later. The winner on March 31 will advance to the World Cup group stage against Mexico, South Korea and South Africa.
Hallgrimson led Ireland into the playoffs last November with impressive back-to-back wins in what appeared to be a losing qualifying group.
Ireland beat Portugal 2-0 in Dublin (where Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off but not suspended by FIFA) and won 3-2 in Hungary to finish second.
All five of Ireland’s goals were scored by Troy Parrott, with the dramatic stoppage-time winner in Budapest enshrined in football legend.
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“Signing this agreement before the playoffs is a statement of our shared belief and allows us to focus 100% on the difficult task ahead in March without any interruptions,” Hallgrímsson said.
Federation chief executive David Courell said he had brought “clear vision, strong tactical identity and belief” to the team after being appointed two years ago.
Euro 2028 is co-hosted by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
