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The team made its debut at the 1924 Olympics, reaching the quarter-finals. Between 1924 and 1936, the team competed as the Irish Free State and from then until 1950, it was referred to by the FAI as Éire or Ireland. In 1953, FIFA decreed that for competitive matches in tournaments that both Irish teams may enter, the FAI team would be officially called the Republic of Ireland while the IFA team was to be named Northern Ireland (The IFA continued to use the name "Ireland" until 1970 for non-FIFA competitions). Under the guidance of Jack Charlton and his successor Mick McCarthy, the team enjoyed its most successful era, qualifying for Euro 1988, reaching the quarterfinals of the 1990 World Cup in their first ever appearance at the finals, and making the last 16 at both the 1994 and 2002 World Cups. The side was the first team from outside the United Kingdom to defeat England on home soil, at a fixture played at Goodison Park, Liverpool, in 1949. The team also reached the quarter-finals of the 1964 European Nations' Cup. |