Magennis recall gives NI 'physicality' - O'Neill

Josh Magennis has scored four times in nine League One games for Exeter City this season

Experienced striker Josh Magennis has returned to the Northern Ireland squad for this month's 2026 World Cup qualifying fixtures.

The 35-year-old Exeter City player has scored 12 international goals across 82 caps but had not featured in manager Michael O'Neill's squad since November 2024.

Northern Ireland will host Slovakia at Windsor Park on Friday, 10 October, before welcoming Germany to the same venue three days later, with O'Neill also able to bring back a number of players after injury.

The side were missing a host of players for the opening fixtures of the campaign when they beat Luxembourg and lost to Germany last month.

Daniel Ballard, Conor Hazard, Brodie Spencer, Ciaron Brown and Paul Smyth are all back from injury.

There is also a return for Rangers winger Ross McCausland, who is currently on loan at Aris Limassol in Cyprus, although first-choice goalkeeper Pierce Charles is still out with a shoulder problem and there is no place in the squad for strikers Dale Taylor or Ronan Hale.

Northern Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Conor Hazard, Luke Southwood

Defenders: Paddy McNair, Ryan Johnson, Daniel Ballard, Ciaron Brown, Conor Bradley, Trai Hume, Brodie Spencer, Eoin Toal, Terry Devlin, Ruairi McConville

Midfielders: George Saville, Ali McCann, Shea Charles, Jamie McDonnell, Paul Smyth, Isaac Price, Ross McCausland, Ethan Gailbraith, Justin Devenny, Jamie Donely

Attackers: Josh Magennis, Dion Charles, Callum Marshall, Jamie Reid

O'Neill did not think Magennis 'was fit enough' for past squads

Magennis' return 11 months since his last cap means he is both the most experienced member of O'Neill's panel and the top international goal scorer in the group.

The former Hull City and Wigan Athletic forward was placed on the stand-by list for friendlies against Sweden and Switzerland and then was not included for June's games against Iceland and Denmark after hip surgery.

O'Neill said after his omission from last month's squad that he would never close the door on anyone's international career and four goals in nine League One games this season has been enough to earn a recall.

"I didn't think Josh was fit enough, really, and I thought the other strikers were ahead of him from a fitness point of view," O'Neill said on Thursday.

"But he's played regular minutes, obviously, since he's off the back of the operation.

"He scored four goals, which is nice to see and Josh gives us experience and physicality that we maybe don't have in abundance, particularly at that end of the pitch."

At 35-years-old, O'Neill added he would be mindful of Magennis' usage when playing two games in four days.

"I think he knows himself that whatever way Josh is used now, it has to be how far he can he play, if you start him in a game or whether there's impact off the bench," he added.

"So those are all things to consider in the selections that we make but, look, it's nice to have a bit of experience and it's always nice to have Josh in the squad."

Magennis made his Northern Ireland debut against Turkey in 2010 and was part of the squad at Euro 2016

O'Neill believes returning players will give him more options at both ends of the pitch than he had in Luxembourg and Germany.

"I think we were sort of stretched a little bit in September," he said.

"The likes of Daniel [Ballard] being available again, Brodie [Spencer] and Ciaron Brown being available gives us a lot more strength in the defensive area of the pitch.

"I think Paul Smyth and Ross [McCausland] give us [something] a little bit more dynamic in terms of the wide areas, which I don't think we've had. If we need to change the game, we've often had to play strikers in that situation."

Following this month's double-header at home, Northern Ireland's qualifying campaign to reach the World Cup in Canada, the USA and Mexico next summer concludes with games away to Slovakia (14 November) and Luxembourg in Belfast (17 November).

Only the team who finishes top of table book an automatic place at the tournament with the runners-up advancing to the play-offs.

Northern Ireland, could, however still make those play-offs should they finish third or fourth - by virtue of winning their Nations League group last year.