MCLAUGHLIN: INTERNATIONAL CAREER IN SUMMARY

Posted on June 23, 2022 in Millwall

Recently retired Northern Ireland international Conor McLaughlin started his national team career at the u-16 level. He played nine times forthe Northern Ireland u-16 team without finding the back of the net. Conor McLaughlin also played nine times for the u-17 team without getting on the scoresheet. McLaughlin scored for his country for the first timein the colours of others. The right-back scored once in 14 games for the u-19s. At the u-21 level, he had a record of zero goal in seven games over a two-year period having made his debut in 2010.

Conor McLaughlin received an invitation to the senior team in October 2011. He made his bow for the senior team during the 3-0 defeat to Italy on October 11, 2011. He was a regular in the starting XI as NorthernIreland returned to a major tournament for the first time in three decades with the Euro 2016 tournament in France. Also, it was the first appearance for Northern Ireland at the European Championship. They had been at the three World Cup tournaments before qualifying for their first EuropeanChampionship. Northern Ireland made their World Cup debut at the 1958 edition in Sweden. Two successive appearances followed at the 1982 edition in Spain and the 1986 edition in Mexico.

At the Euro 2016 tournament on French soil, Conor McLaughlin and Northern Ireland were in Group C alongside Ukraine, Poland and Germany. They began their campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Poland with ArkadiuszMilik getting the only goal of the game six minutes into the second half. McLaughlin played the entire duration of the Poland game. Northern Ireland won a game at the European Championship for the first time by beating Ukraine 2-0 in their second group game before they ended the group with a 1-0 loss to Germany.

Northern Ireland qualified for the round of 16 as one of the best losers. They were eliminated at that stage by Wales via a 1-0 scoreline.