Image source, PacemakerImage caption, Rebecca McKenna is on the brink of 60 Northern Ireland caps despite just turning 25
ByAndy GrayBBC Sport NI Journalist- Published55 minutes ago
Monday, 13 April marked five years since Northern Ireland qualified for the Euro 2022 finals.
It was a historic night at Seaview as Northern Ireland beat both Ukraine and the odds to qualify for a first major tournament, which would take place the following year in England.
Of the 23 players who went to Southampton, only nine are still involved for the current World Cup campaign.
That number will hit double figures when influential captain and key striker Simone Magill returns after expecting her first child later in the spring, but a lot has changed for Northern Ireland.
In terms of average age, the squad has dropped from 26.7 to 25.2, while the average caps has also fallen from 42.3 to 28.4.
Not only has Kenny Shiels' tenure ended, but so has that of his successor, Tanya Oxtoby, and Tuesday's game with Malta will mark the first game in charge for Michael McArdle as boss.
Rebecca McKenna has been a constant over the past half decade, and at the age of 25 she is on the verge of winning her 60th cap against Malta in 2027 World Cup qualifying.
The Birmingham City defender has seen it all in that time, and she says while she doesn't think "there's any real comparisons" between the generations, she feels the current youthful group are as "special" as the Euro 2022 history-makers.
"Qualifying for the Euros five years ago, I think that's just made us hungrier," McKenna, who turned 25 on Monday, told BBC Sport NI.
"That was a special moment and for that group and we deserved to be there.
"I think the group we have now is just as special and I think all the girls who are here, deserve to be here."
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While the journey to Euro 2022 is still fondly remembered, Northern Ireland's focus is firmly on the future.
Given the youthful nature of the squad and the new format of qualification, where Northern Ireland would have to stun at least two higher ranked sides to reach the finals, the 2027 World Cup will likely come too soon.
After defeats by Switzerland and Turkey to open their qualifying campaign, both of which came under interim manager Kris Lindsay, Northern Ireland will look to get their campaign up and running at home to Malta at Mourneview Park on Tuesday, before the reverse fixture on Saturday.
But for McKenna, it is all about the long-term goal of reaching another major tournament and she said the squad were "getting better each camp".
"We got a taste of being on the big stage and I think we all want to qualify for another major tournament," McKenna said.
"That's a long-term goal but I think we've just got to take it game by game.
"Obviously the group we have is special and everyone trusts each other, and I think that's probably the most important thing in this group.
"We've got a great group and hopefully we can get to another major tournament."
Image source, PacemakerImage caption, Michael McArdle will take charge of his first Northern Ireland match against Malta
McKenna said it had been "positive" working with McArdle in his first camp as manager, and the team were "hungry" to put the results against Switzerland and Turkey right.
"All the girls have just bought into it straight away and I think that's the main thing," McKenna said on McArdle.
"Training has been really good. We've just got to bring that and what we've worked on in training into the game and just really look forward to it."
McArdle, who was previously head of elite women's football at the Scottish Football Association (SFA), says the blend of youth and experience in the squad has a "great balance" and all the players are supporting each other.
While Northern Ireland will be favourites to beat Malta in a double-header that will be crucial to both the hopes of both sides of staying in League B, a goalless draw in their last meeting in Belfast in 2023 shows they cannot be underestimated.
For McArdle, "six points is the focus".
"It won't be straightforward. You've got to earn the right and Malta are showing that they're improving all the time," he said.
"It will be a difficult test for us and we're certainly taking it one game at a time.
"The focus is on the performance and more importantly, the three points."
