It's just over 15 years since the Republic of Ireland last appeared at a World Cup finals, with Mick McCarthy leading the boys in green to a last 16 finish in Korean and Japan in 2002.
If Martin O'Neill is to bring us to Russia this summer, it's likely he and and his team will have to lead Ireland through the playoffs, a route they've become familiar with down the years.
Crucial to the 2002 campaign was Kevin Kilbane, still relatively early into an international career which would see him win 110 caps. Standing in the way of our place in the Far East was Iran, and after a 2-0 win in the first leg in Dublin, Ireland travelled to Tehran full of confidence.
As Kilbane told The Boot Room on Premier League Live with Sky Sports, they were like fish out of water upon arriving in the Middle East.
Tomorrow's guest in the Premier League Live Boot Room is @kdkilbane77, talking about the World Cup playoff with Iran in 2001. @SkySportsPL pic.twitter.com/Lp5KlvhERY
— Today FM Sport (@todayfmsport) September 22, 2017
All's well that ends well though, and despite a 1-0 second leg defeat, Ireland advanced to their first World Cup in eight years.
Kilbane told Today FM's Philip Egan all about the qualification journey, and they playoff against Iran in this week's Boot Room, and you can listen to it all below!
