Northern Ireland's Conor Bradley Embraces World Cup Challenge
Northern Ireland's Conor Bradley asserts that there is "no point" in being intimidated by the strong opposition they will encounter in their upcoming play-off for the 2026 World Cup.
The team's recent defeat to Slovakia in Kosice has confirmed that Michael O'Neill's squad will enter these crucial fixtures in March, having qualified through their Nations League group last year, rather than as a higher seed from the qualifying groups.
This means that in Thursday's draw, they will face one of the top-ranked teams in the semi-finals, which could include nations such as Italy, Turkey, and Poland.
Reflecting on the team's progress, Liverpool defender Bradley stated, "I think we’ve come on quite a lot in the last few campaigns, the Nations League and this qualifying campaign, and I think we just need to try and keep continuing on that upwards trajectory." He added, "We definitely won’t fear anyone. I think it’s all to play for, and it’s two games away from a World Cup, so there’s no point fearing anyone."
However, teams from Pot Three and Pot Four in the play-offs will automatically play away from home in the semi-finals, a challenge that Bradley acknowledges will be significant. Since O'Neill's return as manager in December 2022, the team has only secured two competitive victories on the road, against San Marino and Luxembourg.
Bradley described the difficulty of winning away as his "biggest learning" experience in his 29 international caps. "Any game where you come away from home is always going to be difficult, but I think the more you experience these situations, the more you can learn from them and hopefully we can do that," he said.
He expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming play-offs, stating, "It’s nice to get a play-off. Obviously, it’s going to be brilliant. It’s going to be difficult, but we’re really looking forward to it. We’re two games away from being at a World Cup, which is pretty special."
'I think we had a bit more class'
The margins in Group A ultimately hinged on Slovakia's victory over Germany at home, while Northern Ireland faced two defeats against the four-time World Cup champions. Notably, Northern Ireland's convincing 2-0 win over Slovakia at Windsor Park last month stood in contrast to their recent loss in Kosice.
After Tomas Bobcek's stoppage-time goal, tensions flared, resulting in exchanged words between players post-match. O'Neill noted that opposing manager Francesco Calzona did not extend a handshake after the game.
Bradley commented, "It was disappointing, really. I think when we beat them in Belfast, we had a bit more class about us after the game. They were sort of giving it a bit more. It’s disappointing, but I’m sure we’ll see them again."
Midfielder Isaac Price echoed Bradley's sentiments, expressing dissatisfaction with Slovakia's behavior following their win, which kept their qualification hopes alive at the expense of Germany. "I think some of their players had a lot to say, especially those who didn’t play," said the West Bromwich Albion player. "If you’re on the field and want to speak up, that’s fine, but if you’re a third-choice goalkeeper not playing, just be quiet. They looked overly excited, which is a compliment to us. I think they took that as a really big result, and it is a big result for them. We were far better than them at home. They wanted revenge, and ultimately they got it."