Timeline: Greatest moments in Northern Ireland football

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Northern Ireland football fans have been celebrating in the streets of Belfast after the team qualified for its first major tournament in 30 years. BBC News NI looks back at other significant moments in the team's history.

18 November 1880 - The Irish Football Association (IFA) was founded in the Queens Hotel, Belfast. It is the fourth oldest governing body in the world.

1882 - Fifteen months after the IFA was founded, Ireland suffers a 13-0 defeat at the hands of England at the Knock Ground, Bloomfield.

1890 - Milford resident and businessman William McCrum submits a proposal, the penalty kick, to the IFA. Within a year it is approved by the International Football Association Board.

1905 - Windsor Park, the home of the Northern Ireland team, opens.

1921 - Up until partition in 1921 the IFA governed football across the entire island of Ireland. A decision by the Dublin clubs to form their own association led to the formation of the FAI (Football Association of Ireland).

1958 - Northern Ireland competes in its first FIFA World Cup, reaching the quarter-final stage.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

George Best makes his debut for Northern Ireland in 1963 playing for their under 18 youth team

1960 - The IFA moves to its current headquarters at Windsor Avenue. Previously the association had been housed at premises on Waring Street and then Wellington Place.

1963 - George Best makes his debut for Northern Ireland playing for the under-18 youth team. Just days before his 17th birthday he plays his first full international against Wales.

1971 - George Best's famous 'goal' against England when he dispossesses goalkeeper Gordon Banks is disallowed.

1972 - Terry Neill scores the only goal as Northern Ireland beats England 1-0 at Wembley.

1976 - Northern Ireland draw 2-2 with the great Holland side led by Johan Cruyff.

1982 - Northern Ireland beat World Cup hosts Spain. They go onto the knockout stages and are eventually eliminated by France.

1982/3- Northern Ireland beat West Germany home and away in Euro 1984 qualifying matches.

1984 - Northern Ireland win the last British Home Nations Championship, before concerns about crowd trouble and fixture congestion saw the competition discontinued.

1986 - Northern Ireland reaches the World Cup finals in Mexico.

Image caption,

Northern Ireland famously defeated England 1-0 at Windsor Park.

2005 - Northern Ireland famously defeats England 1-0 at Windsor Park. David Healy scores the only goal.

8 October 2015 - Northern Ireland ends almost 30 years of waiting to rejoin football's elite after qualifying for the finals of Euro 2016 in France with victory over Greece at Windsor Park.

Image source, PAcemaker
Image caption,

The NI Northern Ireland team after its victory over Greece