Whenever Northern Ireland faces Ukraine, memories of their historic Euro 2016 clash resurface. Fans recall the dramatic hailstones that interrupted the game, Gareth McAuley's iconic header, and Niall McGinn's jubilant celebration alongside the anthemic chants of 'Will Grigg's on fire'. It is hard to believe that a decade has passed since that momentous day in Lyon.

However, Michael O'Neill, who managed the team during that unforgettable match, emphasizes the importance of looking forward rather than dwelling on the past. In an interview with BBC Sport NI in Trvana, he acknowledged the significance of the 2016 victory but stated, "We don't keep reflecting back on that game and telling the players this is what we aspire to be. This team hopefully can write its own history and we have to allow them to do that."

Currently, only two players from the Euro 2016 squad, Josh Magennis and Paddy McNair, remain in the lineup. The rest of the squad consists of younger talents, with Steven Davis now serving as a key coach. Notably, current players Ceadach O'Neill and Braiden Graham were just eight years old during that historic match.

The average age of the starting team in the recent game against Georgia was just 23, dropping to 22.5 against Hungary. O'Neill mentioned, "We may use certain examples of players from those games at Euro 2016 - the likes of Steven Davis, Jonny Evans, Gareth McAuley, or Stuart Dallas - as good examples for players to aspire to be. But for me, this team is about the future and what lies ahead."