Evan Ferguson has spoken of the pride he would feel as part of the first Ireland under-21 side to qualify for a major tournament.
Jim Crawford's side will play off against Israel over two legs next month (September 23 and 27) for a place in the European Championship finals.
Ferguson, who is among the younger players involved who are eligible for the following campaign, says there is an urgency to get the job done and make history after the Italy loss in June ended hopes of automatic qualification.
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"I think as a whole, as a team, that's all we want to do, to get over the barrier and be the first ones to qualify," said the teenage Brighton striker.
"I feel like it would mean a lot for us and for the country, for the younger kids coming through they can see it can be done so we're going to give it our all to get over the line and qualify.
"It's two games and we feel like we have a very good opportunity to qualify. I feel if we get ourselves in and get our minds on it we'll have a very good chance.
"We're just a tight-knit group - on the pitch, off the pitch, there aren't any egos, really, we're all on the same page.
"I feel that really helps us going into games, we know that we have each other's back and like you saw in the last minute of the Sweden game, we don't stop until the last whistle."
And what would it mean on a personal level?
"I'd say it would just be pride," Ferguson told FAI TV.
"Playing for your country, obviously everyone wants to do it but actually going to the Euros, that's your goal and if we went on and qualified, it would be unbelievable, yeah."
Still only 17, Ferguson's goal at club level is to stay in Graham Potter's plans now that the Premier League season has started.
He joined the club's academy from Bohemians in January 2021 but had made his senior Brighton debut within seven months and is making rapid progress.
"I'd say the aim is just to try to stick around the first team as much as possible, try to pick up minutes or try to break into the first team," he said.
Similarly at international level, Ferguson rose quickly - moving from the under-17s to the 21s.
"Yeah, it was a bit weird because that was after the Covid stage, so I missed the 19s age group and we were doing well in the 17s Euros, we qualified," he recalled.
"But we're in the 21s now and have a good chance of qualifying, so that would be good for us.
"When you get called into the camps you get to know the players and you're building relationships on and off the pitch, so I feel like that helps, once you get to know them.
"But it helps playing at a high level at the club, even in and around the first team training, and coming back to the 21s, everyone's sort in the same bubble.
"It's different but I feel like I'm used to being one of the younger ones.
"But it helped to have guys like Andy Lyons, Dawson (Devoy) and Ross Tierney there who I used to play with at Bohs, so it's not that I didn't know anyone going into the camp."
*IRELAND under-21 international Andrew Moran has been handed a new three-year deal by Brighton.
Midfielder Moran, 18, joined the English club from Bray two years ago and has agreed a deal that will keep him with Brighton until June 2025.
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