Troy Parrott described his hat-trick against Hungary as a fairytale after the Republic of Ireland booked a play-off for the World Cup with a 3-2 victory.
Parrot made it five goals in a week as the Boys in Green defied logic to defeat Portugal and twice came from behind to beat Hungary.
Tears flowed among the Irish players, in particular for Parrott, as he declared a love for his home in Dublin after the best week every recorded by an Irish striker in the green shirt.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, he said: "I'm really, really emotional right now," followed by an apology for "tears for joy".
"This is why we love football because things like this can happen. I love where I'm from, so this means the world to me. My family is here, this is the first time I've cried in years.
"I just really, really can't believe it. Everyone's crying. I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of but this, yeah I don't think I'll ever have a better night in my whole life.
"It's a fairytale, you can't even dream about something like that."
Parrott’s first goal was a penalty which had a delay when being unable to hear the whistle from the referee due to the noise of the home fans in the Puskas Arena.
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The AZ Alkmaar striker said he embraced the onus falling on him in the situation.
"The referee told me to wait for the signal so I was waiting for him to blow his whistle but then he never blew it so I looked at him then he told me I could take it.
"I'd rather have that pressure on me and whatever happens will happen. To put on somebody else and leave it out of my hands, I'd rather be in my hands."
A play-off semi-final now awaits Ireland in the bid to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 24 years.
No matter what happens, the Dubliner has secured his place in Irish football history after Ireland upset the odds in the World Cup qualifying group.
He added: "I think everyone wrote us off at the start of the group, and I couldn't have said it enough that there's always a chance, and we've taken the chance.
"I think everyone should be proud of the group of players that are over there. To go down it the game twice and come back like that, it’s beautiful."
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