It's hard to believe that it's over 20 years since Ireland's last appearance at a World Cup. A huge amount had happened in Irish football since then, but unfortunately the team seems further than ever from returning to that stage.
For now, we will have to focus on our memories from Japan and South Korea.
Ireland brought a brilliant squad to the tournament, even accounting for the absence of a certain midfielder. They would draw two and win one of the group games, with the victory coming in the final outing against Saudi Arabia.
Needing a win in order to be certain of a place in the next round, strikes from Robbie Keane, Gary Breen, and Damien Duff handed them the three points.
Didi Hamann throws dig at Damien Duff over World Cup goal
Damien Duff's goal on that day would turn out to be the only time he would score in the tournament over the course of his career, meaning it is sure to be quite a special moment for him.
In terms of quality of goal, there were certainly a few better ones scored in the event that year.
Didi Hamann certainly wasn't impressed with it.
Of course, the German international was in the same group during that tournament, drawing with Ireland in their second game before going all the way to the final
He appeared alongside Duff and Joanne Cantwell on RTÉ this evening, with a replay of the Irishman's goal against the Saudis shown during the broadcast. Hamann couldn't resist a small dig at his fellow panelist as a result.
Hamann: You never claimed that, did you? That looks like an own goal to me!
Cantwell: Are you taking away his World Cup goal?
Hamann: Ah come on Joanne!
Cantwell: Are you saying that's not his goal?
Hamann: Well you probably got it, didn't you?
Duff: I did, I took it. I'm mortified seeing it. I think we needed two goals to go through, obviously we were in Didi's group. We got the two...
I got the third goal, which was mine. We will talk about Germany later on, but you can never write them off. We played Didi in the groups stages and should have beaten them, we finished off a lot stronger in the second half. Didi might disagree.
We came off the pitch thinking they were an average enough team, but they got to the final! I'm not sure what the big man has to say on that, but you can never write off the Germans.
Hamann would go on to admit that himself and his team had more than a hint of fortune of their own during that tournament, saying that they went all the way to the final due to a very favourable draw.
As for Duff, at least he will always have a World Cup goal to his name regardless of the quality of goalkeeping.
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