Ireland's Mark McGuinness has admitted that making his international debut for his country is something he's "super proud" of, despite the disappointing nature of the result.
Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson selected Luton Town's McGuinness for the Wembley showdown on Sunday, and for the first 45 minutes, he looked like he belonged on the biggest stage. However, the game turned on its head when Liam Scales picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Jude Bellingham.
England went 1-0 up thanks to Harry Kane, and the goals then flew in during the second half. Conor Gallagher and Anthony Gordon scored shortly after Kane, effectively ending the contest. Further goals from Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jarrod Bowen ensured that a positive start for Ireland ultimately turned into a disaster.
McGuinness met reporters in the mixed zone after the game and admitted there were mixed emotions about his debut. However, he emphasised that making his Ireland debut remained a proud moment.
"It's a difficult one for me," McGuinness told RTÉ Sport after the game. "I was super proud to make my debut, but obviously it hurts. Losing 5-0 to England, regardless of what happened during the game, is tough.
"It was huge for me; I've been waiting for this for a while. I've loved playing underage football for Ireland, and this was the next step for me. I'm really proud.
🗣️ ‘The boys can adapt to anything, anyone can do a job anywhere.’
🗣️ ‘With a man down, takes getting used to and they punished us, simple as that.’@nathanmurf chats to Mark McGuinness following his Ireland debut. | ☘️
Football on Off the Ball with @WilliamHillIre pic.twitter.com/GxEnmRxRIx
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) November 17, 2024
"I had my family here watching today. The gaffer let me know a couple of days before, which gave me time to let it sink in and get ready for the game. It's a little disappointing, but still a proud moment for me."
Ireland now awaits their March relegation play-off opponents for Euro 2025.
McGuinness admitted that the long break until then is frustrating but added that it gives the team time to reflect and improve. He also emphasised the importance of taking points from the big teams to progress in major tournaments.
"The frustrating part is that we have a long break until we meet up, but it also gives us time to work on things, go back to our clubs, get our heads down, and freshen up," he said.
"We will review this and see where we did well and where we can improve. We have to get some points off these top teams if we're going to progress in major competitions."UEFA Nations League playoff.
The UEFA Nations League play-off will take place on November 22. The matches will take place on 20 and 23 March next year.
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