Damien Duff handed captain’s armband on his 100th appearance for Ireland against Italy

17 Jun 2012 19:35:00

The winger takes over from current skipper Robbie Keane as Giovanni Trapattoni’s men prepare to bow out of the tournament after defeats to Croatia and Spain

Ireland attacker Damien Duff will celebrate his 100th cap for the national team by captaining his side in their final Euro 2012 fixture against Italy.

The 33-year-old will take over from current skipper Robbie Keane for the game in Poznan, with the Irish out of the competition after consecutive defeats at the hands of both Croatia and Spain.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Duff said: "Now we have to win this game. I will play for the fans and mostly for my family, they were with me always, through the good and bad times, knowing how often I'm away from home.

"I haven't made any decision regarding my future but my dream is to play at the World Cup, score a goal there, especially after what happened against France few years ago and how we were denied the chance."

Current skipper Keane revealed that he was more than happy to pass on the armband for the game against Italy, and underlined his utmost respect for Duff.

"For me, to give him the armband was something normal. He is my friend, was through all these years and I rate him highly as a player and colleague."

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