'Slovakia qualifier NI's biggest game in years'

2026 World Cup qualifiers: Northern Ireland v Slovakia; Northern Ireland v Germany

Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast Dates: Friday, 10 October & Monday, 13 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage details: NI v Slovakia live on BBC Two in UK and on BBC One NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website; NI v Germany live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website; both matches live on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster; live text commentary, in-play clips, highlights and reaction on the BBC Sport website.

BBC Sport NI pundit Stuart Dallas won 62 Northern Ireland caps and played for Crusaders, Brentford and Leeds United.

It is the biggest game for Northern Ireland in years.

Slovakia have had a great start to their campaign with two wins, and that is what makes Friday's qualifier so huge.

People will naturally look to the Germany game, and both matches are big in their own right, but given what is at stake on Friday you cannot look past those 90 minutes.

At the start of the campaign you would have expected Germany to run off into the distance, but Slovakia's win over the Germans in the opening game changed the landscape.

Given how things have started, if Northern Ireland can win on Friday and give Germany a game on Monday then the race for top spot in the group is blown wide open.

It will be a tough test for Northern Ireland but it is a good opportunity to go and show that they are more than capable of competing at this level.

A full house at Windsor Park will have the stadium rocking and I fully expect Northern Ireland to give a good account of themselves.

If they can do that, then the second game will take care of itself. When one of the powerhouses of European football come to Belfast it is a fantastic occasion for everyone, and we know what is at stake at this stage.

'Euro 2020 heartbreak not a factor'

The Euro 2020 play-off defeat by Slovakia was heartbreaking but won't play a role on Friday

The last time Slovakia came to Windsor Park almost five years ago they ended our dreams of reaching Euro 2020.

Fans will feel like we owe them something given the heartbreak of that defeat, but that narrative isn't there with this group of players.

There has been such a youthfulness in Michael O'Neill's squad that I don't think memories of that game will be a factor.

Slovakia have grown as a nation over the last number of years and have competed in major tournaments. That's where Northern Ireland want to get to, and there's no reason they can't get there.

Nobody would have expected Slovakia to beat Germany, but that shows the level they are at. It will be a tough game, but at home it is a fantastic opportunity to make a statement.

It is exciting to watch Northern Ireland, but they have got to be really hard to beat at home and they have a lot of players who enjoy playing football, that's really important. Hopefully they can go and show that.

'Michael taking the right approach to leadership'

Michael O'Nell's young group are growing together

Michael is building something really special. We don't want to put too much pressure on this squad but hopefully they can go and get a result.

This group is young but they are growing together, and you can see that in Michael's approach to leadership.

Michael isn't in any rush to name an outright captain and he's shared it around a number of players such as Trai Hume, Conor Bradley, Shea Charles and Paddy McNair.

I agree with that approach and he's asking questions of each individual, and getting responsibility from players who can all bring something a bit different. He is giving different players responsibilities and that can really help the group overall.

When I was at Leeds United, although we had a club captain we had a leadership group which worked really well because everyone brings their own ideas and experiences, which help in different ways.

Each player has different leadership skills. For some that is leading on the pitch, and for others it's away from it or the experience they bring.

Michael had full-time captains in the past with Steven Davis and Jonny Evans, but this group is different and it's a good thing for them.

I've been fortunate to have played at Windsor Park when it is full and the place is rocking.

The fans at Windsor Park will have a big role to play and they can be a driving force.

They urge you on that last bit and that will be vital for this young squad in the key moments as they don't have a huge amount of experience in the biggest games.

They can help give you the belief that you can go and achieve a big result. Michael will be aware of that as well, and the fans also realise that he is building a special team.

It is a huge game, and they now have a chance to go and lay down a marker for the rest of the campaign.

Stuart Dallas was speaking to BBC Sport NI's Andy Gray.