Dublin Airport Erupts In Chaos After Ireland Scores Last-Minute Winner To Keep World Cup Dreams Alive

Troy Parrott won't ever have to buy a pint on his own ever again after leading Ireland's stunning comeback against Hungary in World Cup qualifying on Sunday. While the scenes on the field were straight out of a movie, the celebrations that broke out inside Dublin's airport after the last-minute winner were pure magic as well.

To set the scene, Ireland had to beat Hungary away from home in Budapest on Sunday to continue its 2026 World Cup qualifying journey. While most would assume Ireland is a consistent World Cup participant, the country actually hasn't qualified for the tournament since 2002.

Things did not get the best of starts for Ireland on Sunday, with Hungary scoring in just the third minute, but then the Parrott party began. After banging home a penalty in the 15th minute to tie the match at 1-1, he knotted things up again at 2-2 in the 80th minute to give Ireland a glimmer of hope.

Then came the 96th-minute winner and hat-trick clinching goal, touched home by Parrott in front of the net. He immediately ripped his shirt off and was mobbed by his entire team that invaded the pitch in a surreal scene.

While the Irish squad and the many fans who made the trip to Budapest put together an other-worldly celebration, travelers inside the Dublin airport got in on the action as well.

I'd suggest keeping your eyes on the guy in the yellow vest, clearly skipping out on his shift to watch the final minutes of the match, and disappearing into the madness inside the airport pub.

Next up for Ireland is a one-off playoff semifinal in March, and if it wins that match, it'll play in a winner-take-all final to potentially punch a ticket into the World Cup in North America.

This certainly gets the juicing flowing for next year's World Cup.