‘Trump card' - the player that can take Ireland to the 2026 World Cup
Ireland's route to the 2026 World Cup is a tricky one - with only one automatic qualification spot available to the four teams in Group F.
And all the smart money is on Nations League finalists Portugal, who put in an outstanding attacking display against Germany last Wednesday, taking top spot ahead of the Boys in Green, Hungary and Armenia.
The team that finishes second will advance to the play-offs, played over a semi-final and final, with just four out of 16 teams progressing to the World Cup from that route.
However, according to one pundit, Ireland have a 'trump card' heading into the qualifiers, which kick-off in September at home to Hungary and away to Armenia.
Dietmar Hamann was speaking on RTE after Ireland's 1-1 draw with Senegal when both he and former international Shay Given singled out one particular player for praise.
Caoimhin Kelleher's performance had both men reaching for superlatives to describe the former Liverpool goalkeeper, who last week completed his cut-price €15m move to Brentford.
Hamann said: 'We talked before about who will be the player to take them to the World Cup? I think he (Kelleher) is the biggest trump card.
'I don't think there is a keeper in the (qualification) group who is anywhere near as good as he is. I said last year, I think he is one of the top five keepers in the Premier League.
'Obviously one of those better than him was playing for the same club (Alisson). You'll struggle to find three or four better players than him in the Premier League and I think he'll show it next season.'
As for Given, who played 134 times for Ireland and starred at the 2002 World Cup, he couldn't believe that Kelleher didn't end up at a bigger club.
'No disrespect to Brentford, but I'm surprised there wasn't a few more bigger clubs in,' he said. 'Unless clubs have gone, 'Let's have a look at him at Brentford. We know they are a selling club, let's see him as a number one for a year or two'.
'At 26 years of age he's still plenty young enough. He looks the real deal.'
Both men were amazed at Kelleher's fingertip save that pushed Krepin Diatta's header onto the underside of the crossbar, with Given describing it as 'world class.'
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