The glory nights when Northern Ireland stunned superpower Spain

Venue: Mallorca Son Moix Stadium Date: Saturday, 8 June Kick-off: 20:45 BST

Coverage: Live connected BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sport website and app; unrecorded matter commentary and study connected BBC Sport website; highlights connected BBC One NI and BBC iPlayer astatine 23:35 BST

It's an world fixture that has delivered 1 of nan astir iconic moments successful Northern Ireland 's sporting history.

And also, 1 of nan astir memorable nights astatine Belfast's Windsor Park stadium.

The eventual giant-killing communicative of Northern Ireland's 1-0 triumph complete hosts Spain successful Valencia astatine nan 1982 World Cup - nan image of Gerry Armstrong drilling nan shot into nan nett from Billy Hamilton's debased transverse aft Luis Arconada had parried - is woven into nan country's sporting folklore.

Twenty-four years later connected a charged September evening David Healy scored a sensational hat-trick arsenic Lawrie Sanchez's broadside defeated a star-studded Spanish broadside 3-2 successful a European Championship qualifier connected location soil.

Saturday's friends world betwixt nan sides successful Mallorca, their first gathering since 2007, whitethorn not transportation nan aforesaid significance, but it surely brings memories flooding backmost of those 2 celebrated nights erstwhile Northern Ireland conquered 1 of nan powerhouses of world football.

For Michael O'Neill's broadside nan forthcoming crippled tin supply different useful parameter of really his young squad is progressing and for nan hosts, nan brushwood astatine nan Mallorca Son Moix Stadium serves arsenic last mentation for their upcoming Euro 2024 campaign, which originates against Croatia connected 15 June.

The first of Northern Ireland's 18 fixtures against Spain came successful 1958 and nan grounds of matches betwixt nan sides sounds 11 wins for Spain, 5 draws and those 2 never-to-be-forgotten victories for Northern Ireland.

Armstrong's victor and Healy's treble relationship for 4 of 11 goals their federation has scored against 1 of Europe's footballing giants.

Northern Ireland's 1-0 triumph complete Spain connected their ain spot astatine nan Spain '82 finals sent shockwaves done nan footballing world.

Making their first quality astatine a world finals since 1958, draws against Honduras and Yugoslavia successful their opening 2 games gave small denotation of what was to travel connected that sultry nighttime successful Valencia connected 25 June.

In nan end, Billy Bingham's broadside upset each nan odds, Armstrong's victor conscionable aft half-time provoking chaotic celebrations among nan thousands of fans who had travelled to Spain and nan galore others who were watching astatine home.

The triumph was made each nan much singular by nan truth that NI played nan last half hr of nan crippled pinch 10 men pursuing nan sending-off of defender Mal Donaghy.

"We knew that we could do thing against Spain - moreover though astir group thought we had nary chance, we believed," reflected Armstrong astatine a 40th day reunion of immoderate players from nan squad successful 2022.

Armstrong added: "Every subordinate wants to play successful a World Cup finals but to play successful nan World Cup finals knowing you person to triumph and you're playing nan big federation successful their ain backyard, you do it against each nan likelihood and spell down to 10 men.

"You couldn't constitute nan book for it. I was very fortunate that I was successful a superb squad pinch immoderate awesome guys, who worked tremendously hard."

The triumph saw Northern Ireland apical Group 5 and advancement into a three-team group successful which they drew 2-2 pinch Austria but mislaid 4-1 to France to exit nan tournament.

Spain had overmuch nan amended of consequent meetings betwixt nan nations successful nan 1980s and 1990s but NI, pinch Sammy McIlroy arsenic manager, earned a creditable hard-fought 0-0 tie successful a June 2003 friends successful Belfast, nan 10th successful a tally of 13 games without scoring a goal.

More of that fighting spirit, and nary small skill, was connected show connected a melodramatic nighttime bristling pinch ambiance connected 6 September 2006 arsenic Lawrie Sanchez's charges saw disconnected a Spanish broadside loaded pinch superstars specified arsenic Iker Casillas, Carlos Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Raul, David Villa and Fernando Torres.

Xavi volleyed Spain into a 14th-minute lead astatine Windsor Park, only for nan predatory Healy to pounce connected a Xabi Alonso correction to equalise six minutes later.

David Villa restored nan lead connected 52, but Windsor Park was reasonably rocking arsenic NI's grounds men's goalscorer rifled successful nan leveller from Sammy Clingan's free-kick aft 64 and past deliciously lobbed Casillas for nan victor 10 minutes from time, sparking scenes of chaotic jubilation successful nan stands.

This almost a twelvemonth to nan time since nan past Leeds United striker had scored nan decisive extremity successful a daze 1-0 triumph complete England astatine nan aforesaid venue.

It was a first hat-trick by a Northern Ireland subordinate successful a location lucifer since George Best netted a treble 35 years previously, marked nan first world headdress for teenage Manchester United defender Jonny Evans and inflicted a past conclusion connected Spain earlier they went connected to triumph Euro 2008.

All this conscionable days aft nan broadside had been humiliated 3-0 astatine location by Iceland.

"I emotion nights astatine Windsor Park. Everybody felt we fto group down connected Saturday but coming we showed our characteristic much than anything. We've bounced backmost and it's a monolithic occasion, we defied each nan odds," Healy, who ended his world profession pinch 36 goals, told nan media afterwards.

The only consequent crippled betwixt nan sides saw Xavi connected target successful a 1-0 triumph for nan Spanish successful November 2007.

Almost 17 years person passed since then, truthful here's hoping nan hold will beryllium worthy it pinch an entertaining brushwood connected Saturday night.