Republic of Ireland shirts from Lansdowne Road days

For most of the twentieth century Ireland had good players but no tournament appearances. That changed when Jack Charlton took over in 1986. At Euro 88 in West Germany, Ray Houghton's header beat England in Stuttgart, and the team only narrowly missed out on the semi-finals. Two years later, at Italia 90, Ireland reached the quarter-finals of a World Cup at the first attempt. The penalty shoot-out win over Romania in Genoa, with Packie Bonner's save and David O'Leary's winning kick, is still one of the great moments in Irish sport. The team lost to the hosts in Rome in the quarter-final. At USA 94 Houghton struck again, scoring the winner against Italy in New York. Under Mick McCarthy, Ireland went to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, where Roy Keane left the squad before a game was played, yet Robbie Keane's late goal against Germany helped the team into the last sixteen. Later highlights include Euro 2012 and Euro 2016 in France, when Robbie Brady's header beat Italy in Lille. The team now plays at the Aviva Stadium, built on the site of the old Lansdowne Road.

Robbie Keane holds the national scoring record and was the face of the team for more than a decade. Roy Keane was the driving force of the midfield in the nineties and early noughties, and his number 6 shirt remains in demand. Paul McGrath is regarded by many as the finest defender Ireland ever produced, and Packie Bonner remains a hero for his saves at Italia 90. Liam Brady was the playmaker of an earlier generation, while Kevin Moran, Steve Staunton, John Aldridge and Tony Cascarino were key figures in the Charlton years. Damien Duff brought pace and skill on the wing for Chelsea and Ireland, and Shay Given was the long-serving number one. The shirts on this page include prints for Robbie Keane with number 10, Roy Keane with number 6, Duff with numbers 9 and 11 and Jason McAteer with number 21. Shirts named after players from the Charlton years are especially popular with fans who were there at the time.

Green is the colour of every Irish home shirt, normally paired with white shorts, while away shirts have mostly been white. The FAI crest sits on almost every shirt here. The suppliers in the range give each period a distinct look. Umbro shirts include some of the most remembered designs, with patterned fabric and large collars. O'Neills, the Irish sportswear company, also supplied shirts, which are prized by collectors today. New Balance and later Castore took over in more recent years, with cleaner designs and modern fabrics. Goalkeeper shirts tend to be bright and bold, and long sleeve versions are sought after because they were made in smaller numbers.