Jamie Ward believes Northern Ireland deserves more recognition for its sporting achievements as the football team returned home from Euro 2016 to a hero's reception on Monday.
Although Michael O'Neill's side were knocked out of the competition following defeat to Wales in Paris on Saturday, 10,000 supporters still turned up at an event in Belfast's Titanic Quarter to show their appreciation for what the team had managed in reaching the last 16 in France.
By qualifying for the Euros, which was their first major tournament in three decades, the footballers also built on the recent success compatriots Rory McIlroy and Carl Frampton have had in their respective fields and winger Ward thinks sport in the country is under-appreciated.
"Pundits said we wouldn't score a goal, we wouldn't win a game - it's great to shut them up and prove people wrong," said Ward.
"Hopefully now going into the World Cup campaign we'll do the whole country proud again.
"Sport's on the up in Northern Ireland - golf, boxing, football. I think people just write it off because it's a little country and we've come to bite people on the backside.
"Obviously Rory McIlroy is doing well in golf, Carl Frampton's doing well in boxing so it's great to see."
Despite losing three of their four games at the Euros, a large crowd flocked to the country's capital to welcome Michael O'Neill's squad back from Lyon.
First Minister Arlene Foster was among those on stage and manager O'Neill was given the bumps by his players as confetti fell around him.
"It's absolutely amazing," O'Neill said.
"Football brings everyone together and I think it's fantastic. What we've done hopefully is break down the barrier that we would never get to a major tournament again and we want to try and get to the World Cup in 2018.
"We just want a team the people of Northern Ireland can be proud of and I think we have that now."
