Overview
- Northern Ireland will face Italy in the World Cup playoff semi-final in Bergamo on March 26, with the winner to play Bosnia or Wales in the March 31 final for a World Cup berth.
- Gennaro Gattuso is scheduled to announce Italy’s squad on March 20, setting both teams’ final preparations in motion.
- Liverpool’s Conor Bradley remains unavailable after January ACL surgery, removing a key option from O’Neill’s plans.
- O’Neill’s selection leans heavily on the English Championship, with 13 call-ups from that division and four from the Premier League.
- O’Neill says the team aims to write its own history, as the coach also acknowledges Chris Atherton’s recent switch to represent the Republic of Ireland.