The glory nights when Northern Ireland stunned Spain

It's an international fixture that has delivered one of the most iconic moments in Northern Ireland 's sporting history.

And also, one of the most memorable nights at Belfast's Windsor Park stadium.

The ultimate giant-killing story of Northern Ireland's 1-0 win over hosts Spain in Valencia at the 1982 World Cup - the image of Gerry Armstrong drilling the ball into the net from Billy Hamilton's low cross after Luis Arconada had parried - is woven into the country's sporting folklore.

Twenty-four years later on a charged September evening David Healy scored a sensational hat-trick as Lawrie Sanchez's side defeated a star-studded Spanish side 3-2 in a European Championship qualifier on home soil.

Saturday's friendly international between the sides in Mallorca, their first meeting since 2007, may not carry the same significance, but it certainly brings memories flooding back of those two famous nights when Northern Ireland conquered one of the powerhouses of world football.

For Michael O'Neill's side the forthcoming game can provide another useful indicator of how his young squad is progressing and for the hosts, the encounter at the Mallorca Son Moix Stadium serves as final preparation for their upcoming Euro 2024 campaign, which begins against Croatia on 15 June.

Shockwaves from historic Valencia win

The first of Northern Ireland's 18 fixtures against Spain came in 1958 and the record of matches between the sides reads 11 wins for Spain, five draws and those two never-to-be-forgotten victories for Northern Ireland.

Armstrong's winner and Healy's treble account for four of 11 goals their nation has scored against one of Europe's footballing giants.

Northern Ireland's 1-0 win over Spain on their own patch at the Spain '82 finals sent shockwaves through the footballing world.

Making their first appearance at a world finals since 1958, draws against Honduras and Yugoslavia in their opening two games gave little indication of what was to come on that sultry night in Valencia on 25 June.

In the end, Billy Bingham's side upset all the odds, Armstrong's winner just after half-time provoking wild celebrations among the thousands of fans who had travelled to Spain and the many others who were watching at home.

The victory was made all the more remarkable by the fact that NI played the final half hour of the game with 10 men following the sending-off of defender Mal Donaghy.

"We knew that we could do something against Spain - even though most people thought we had no chance, we believed," reflected Armstrong at a 40th anniversary reunion of some players from the squad in 2022.

Armstrong added: "Every player wants to play in a World Cup finals but to play in the World Cup finals knowing you have to win and you're playing the host nation in their own backyard, you do it against all the odds and go down to 10 men.

"You couldn't write the script for it. I was very fortunate that I was in a brilliant team with some fantastic guys, who worked tremendously hard."

The win saw Northern Ireland top Group 5 and progress into a three-team group in which they drew 2-2 with Austria but lost 4-1 to France to exit the tournament.

Healy treble 'had Windsor Park rocking'

Spain had much the better of subsequent meetings between the nations in the 1980s and 1990s but NI, with Sammy McIlroy as manager, earned a creditable hard-fought 0-0 draw in a June 2003 friendly in Belfast, the 10th in a run of 13 games without scoring a goal.

More of that fighting spirit, and no little skill, was on show on a dramatic night bristling with atmosphere on 6 September 2006 as Lawrie Sanchez's charges saw off a Spanish side loaded with superstars such as Iker Casillas, Carlos Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Raul, David Villa and Fernando Torres.

Xavi volleyed Spain into a 14th-minute lead at Windsor Park, only for the predatory Healy to pounce on a Xabi Alonso mistake to equalise six minutes later.

David Villa restored the lead on 52, but Windsor Park was fairly rocking as NI's record men's goalscorer rifled in the leveller from Sammy Clingan's free-kick after 64 and then deliciously lobbed Casillas for the winner 10 minutes from time, sparking scenes of wild jubilation in the stands.

This almost a year to the day since the then Leeds United striker had scored the decisive goal in a shock 1-0 win over England at the same venue.

It was a first hat-trick by a Northern Ireland player in a home match since George Best netted a treble 35 years previously, marked the first international cap for teenage Manchester United defender Jonny Evans and inflicted a last defeat on Spain before they went on to win Euro 2008.

All this just days after the side had been humiliated 3-0 at home by Iceland.

"I love nights at Windsor Park. Everybody felt we let people down on Saturday but tonight we showed our character more than anything. We've bounced back and it's a massive occasion, we defied all the odds," Healy, who ended his international career with 36 goals, told the media afterwards.

The only subsequent game between the sides saw Xavi on target in a 1-0 win for the Spanish in November 2007.

Almost 17 years have passed since then, so here's hoping the wait will be worth it with an entertaining encounter on Saturday night.