15 Great Photos Of Irish Footballers When They Still Looked Like Kids

The Irish team serve as the inspiration to a country full of aspiring young footballers and fans who one day dream to pull on the Green jersey and represent their countries.

It's easy to forget that The Boys in Green were once ambitious underage footballers themselves, before they became internationals or in some cases even professional footballers, there were more than a few dodgy haircuts before the money rolled in as well as plenty of baby faces.

Here's a brilliant collection of 15 Irish footballers of past and present in there formative years for the Boys In Green.

Robbie Keane

A teenage Robbie Keane celebrates winning the u18 European Championships in 1998.

Steve Staunton

 

A fresh-faced Steve Staunton lining out from Ireland in 1989 aged just 20 years old.

Roy Keane

Roy Keane makes his Ireland debut in 1991 after his move from Cobh Ramblers to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest the year before.

Kevin Kilbane

Kevin Kilbane enjoying Irish training and having a top-notch bowl-cut in 1997 aged 20.

Seamus Coleman

A teenage Seamus Coleman putting the head in for Sligo Rovers three years before he made the move to Everton.

Damien Duff, Alan Maybury and Mark Kinsella

That Damien Duff haircut accompanied by Alan Maybury and Mark Kinsella in 1998.

John O'Shea

A baby-faced John O'Shea representing Ireland under 16's in 1998.

Glenn Whelan

Glenn Whelan looking ready for a disco while representing Ireland underage in 2003.

Shane Long

A 17-year-old Shane Long playing minor hurling for Tipperary in 2003, before betraying his country for "that foreign sport".

Richard Dunne

Another member of the famous 1998 u18 European Championship winning side, even an 18-year-old Richard Dunne is intimidating.

Niall Quinn

Another minor hurling as Niall Quinn represents Dublin all the way back in 1983. That fro.....

Robbie Brady

Brady almost looks like a young Robbie Keane while away with Ireland under 17s in 2008.

Paul McShane

An 18-year-old Paul McShane in his trackies while representing Ireland under 19s in 2004.

Shay Given

The Donegal goalkeeper in his early Ireland days in training in 1996.

Kevin Doyle

The Wexford man has aged well it must be said since playing for St Patricks Athletic as an 18-year-old in 2002.