The Republic of Ireland national football team first played in the 1924 Olympics. Between then and 1950 the side played as the Irish Free State and Eire or Ireland. In 1953 FIFA stated that both Irish teams could enter competitions. This is when both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland came into being.
Although the side, in their various guises, have entered all world cups since 1934, it was not until 1990 that the Republic of Ireland national football team made it to the finals of the competition. To date they have featured at three tournaments, making it to the quarter finals in 1990.