Aaron Connolly

BORN: January 2000

CLUB: Free Agent

Remember when: He should have been awarded a penalty against Portugal but the ref was a Ronaldo stan

Bio: Aaron Connolly will always have his brace for Brighton against Spurs and he will always have the tapes from excellent Ireland under-21 displays and promising moments for the seniors.

Form and injuries have halted his progress since the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign under Stephen Kenny but he has still shown glimpses of excellence in the passing time.

People forget that he had legitimate penalty shouts turned down against Portugal and Serbia during that campaign – he was definitely a dangerous option for the Boys in Green who defenders didn’t fancy facing.

But whether he can prove himself enough to surpass Ireland’s other forward options and bring those old qualities to the current day is another question.

International Highlights:

Club Highlights: