Finn Azaz is Ireland’s lucky charm!
The Middlesbrough midfielder has a stronger winning record - by far - than the rest of his international teammates.
Of the starting-11 against Bulgaria on Thursday night, Azaz is way out in front, with four wins from his six senior caps so far.
Next is the man who teed up Azaz’s goal in Plovdiv, Troy Parrott, with a 48 percent win record (13 wins in 27 appearances), followed by Caoimhin Kelleher, with nine wins in 21 caps (43 percent).
Matt Doherty, Ireland’s other goalscorer in Plovdiv, trails with just a 29 percent win rate. Thursday’s was his 14th win in an Ireland jersey in his 49th cap.
Meanwhile, Nathan Collins has lost 56 percent of his games with the Boys in Green, just ahead of his centre-half partner Dara O’Shea.
Player-by-player
FINN AZAZ
Caps: 6
Wins: 4 (67 percent)
Defeats: 2 (33 percent)
TROY PARROTT
Caps: 27
Wins: 13 (48 percent)
Defeats: 8 (30 percent)
CAOIMHIN KELLEHER
Caps: 21
Wins: 9 (43 percent)
Defeats: 7 (33 percent)
ROBBIE BRADY
Robbie Brady of Ireland (Image: INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
Caps: 69
Wins: 26 (38 percent)
Defeats: 22 (32 percent)
NATHAN COLLINS
Caps: 27
Wins: 10 (37 percent)
Defeats: 15 (56 percent)
RYAN MANNING
Caps: 14
Wins: 5 (36 percent)
Defeats: 4 (29 percent)
MIKEY JOHNSTON
Caps: 14
Wins: 5 (36 percent)
Defeats: 7 (50 percent)
JASON KNIGHT
Caps: 36
Wins: 12 (33 percent)
Defeats: 17 (47 percent)
JOSH CULLEN
Caps: 41
Wins: 13 (32 percent)
Defeats: 17 (41 percent)
DARA O’SHEA
Caps: 33
Wins: 10 (30 percent)
Defeats: 18 (55 percent)
MATT DOHERTY
Ireland's Matt Doherty celebrates scoring his sides second goal (Image: INPHO/Kostadin Andonov)
Caps: 49
Wins: 14 (29 percent)
Defeats: 21 (43 percent)
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