After failing to qualify for the 1996 European championships, Northern Ireland were in a World cup 98 qualification group that featured, the Ukraine, Armenia, Germany, Albania and Portugal. The qualification campaign proved to be a disaster for the Irish as they only managed to gain one win in their ten matches, coming at home against Albania. Their 1-0 defeat in Lisbon against Portugal in October 1997 condemned the Irish to the bottom of the group. The Irish had some decent players at their disposal including, Keith Gillespie, Ian Dowie, Michael Hughes and Neil Lennon. Northern Ireland were searching for improvement in the few friendly matches they played prior qualification for Euro 2000. The Irish enjoyed two consecutive 1-0 home wins at Belfast against Slovakia and Switzerland in April 1998.
They were now ready for their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign that featured the nation in a section consisting of Germany, Finland, Turkey and Moldova.