Dara O'Shea has warned France that Ireland’s new generation are ready to write their own history.
Preparations for Monday’s big Euro 2024 showdown with the World Cup finalists is ramping up this weekend.
And there is growing confidence within Stephen Kenny’s young squad that they can be more than a match for Kylian Mbappe’s Les Blues.
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West Brom defender O’Shea was in with the Ireland fans at Euro 2016 in France, having attended all the group stage games as a punter.
He previously recalled how some fans went tumbling down steps beside when Robbie Brady headed his famous goal against Italy to send Ireland into the Last 16.
But the 24-year-old has become a dependable sort in Kenny’s new-look side and wants to play, rather than spectate, at the next European Championships.
For that to happen, Ireland will have to be on the ball in a treacherous group and scalp one of the heavyweights, France or Holland, along the way.
But sizing up the French threat in Dublin, O’Shea will this weekend dream of a signature win along the lines of Ireland’s 2015 success over Germany.
O’Shea said: “We've watched back those nights as fans. Some of the lads have played in those and can show their expertise and knowledge and share that with us.
“But we want to write our own history. It's a new group and these are the nights we want to have. We want to put a good performance in and do the country proud.
“These are the games you want to be involved in as a footballer. You want to play against the best footballers in the world and France have some of them.
“I don't have a favourite French player. I'm a football fan at the end of the day. But they’re all dangerous in their own right.
“They have some of the biggest names in football, exciting players. But it’s something that I relish.”
And O’Shea continued: “As a young lad coming up, you want to play against the best to try and be the best. You want to play against them and see where you are.
“It's a great opportunity for a lot of us who maybe haven’t played in games like this and played against certain players like these, so it's a massive opportunity.”
But O’Shea does have some previous when it comes to head on duels with star names.
The last time he took to the pitch against one of the game’s global icons, he walked off - rather than being carried off - with a broken ankle.
That was away to Portugal in September 2021, when Ireland were leading 1-0 until Cristiano Ronaldo plunged the knife as only he can with a late, late brace to win it.
O’Shea - who has played every minute for West Brom this season - was sidelined for five months, but returned for Ireland in a friendly against Lithuania this time last year.
Now, he and his fellow defenders must hatch a plan to stop Mbappe and Co in their tracks at Aviva Stadium as they try to plot a patch to Germany next year.
O’Shea said: “These are the best players in the world. It’s going to be a tough task but staying concentrated is the main thing.
“When you come up against these players, all it takes is a split second to change the game. We can't really let up. There's no room for error in these situations.
“We’ve got some excellent players and leaders who have played games like this before and we’ve got to use their knowledge in that sense.
“It's not going to take one individual to stop someone, it's a team.”
Meanwhile, Seamus Coleman and Adam Idah’s availability for Monday’s clash still hangs in the balance.
The skipper is struggling with a thigh strain and the striker has a foot injury, with both players sitting out the Latvia friendly win.
Ireland’s medical staff were assessing the pair today but Stephen Kenny has yet to rule them out of the Euro 2024 qualifier.
A decision on the Everton defender and Norwich forward is expected tomorrow, when the Ireland team steps up its training ground preparation in Abbotstown.
O’Shea is hoping that Coleman will be available to lead the Boys in Green into their daunting opening qualifier.
He said: “Seamus has been amazing for this country. He’s a great human and as a footballer he has been unbelievable.
“He really is the leader in the group and instils that. He's been great for the young lads coming through.
“You always need someone who is going to be there and welcome you with open arms and he's been that person from the very start.
“It's a young team, the average age was quite young the other day and players like him coming back into the fold are great for us.
“You need those players who have the experience of playing in these games. He's an unbelievable player, so it would be a great positive for us.”
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