Birmingham City defender Rebecca Holloway is among the small number of players remaining from the Northern Ireland squad that secured qualification for Euro 2022, the nation’s first appearance at a major tournament.
Although the squad has undergone significant changes since then, Holloway prefers to focus on the opportunities ahead rather than previous accomplishments.
“In some respects, it seems like it happened a long time ago, particularly when you consider how different the squad is now. However, that transformation is also very exciting,” she said.
“A new generation is emerging, and having experienced players available to guide the newcomers is equally important. We are eager to discover what they can offer and want to support them in playing confidently, expressing themselves freely and making the most of their strengths.
“We are gradually reducing the distance between ourselves, Portugal and the nations traditionally considered stronger. They only narrowly defeated us 2-1 at home in 2024 after we had lost 4-0 away, which demonstrates the progress we are making.”
McArdle’s young squad already has a strong example of how a team can perform beyond expectations.
After gathering for their training camp on Monday, the players watched Northern Ireland’s men’s team earn a goalless draw against Georgia.
The result kept Michael O’Neill’s team at the top of their Nations League group, with eight points from four matches and no goals conceded.
“It was inspiring to watch them compete with so much youthful enthusiasm and intensity while producing such entertaining football.
“The younger generation approaches matches without fear, and that is exactly the mentality being shown by the senior men’s team.
“I hope our younger players take inspiration from that performance and bring the same mindset. As we watched, I think everyone felt eager to get onto the pitch on Friday.”
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