The Euro 2008 dream may be over but the way the team performed in Group F, finishing third, has given everyone great hope for the future.

Now the goalscoring hero is ready to take on Europe's best again in a bid to take the Green and White Army to South Africa in 2010.

Healy said: " Everyone will be looking forward to the World Cup draw on Sunday to see who we get.

"I don't really mind myself because we have shown in the Euro campaign that we can compete with the best teams, especially at Windsor Park.

"I'm sure the fans would like to draw one of the home nations and that would be exciting, but whoever comes out in our group, we can approach the World Cup qualifiers in confident mood."

Healy added: "We'll be out to give the fans more entertainment and more glory nights. Their support throughout the Euro campaign has been amazing and I'm sure it will continue."

Ending up in third place in their European Championship group, which also contained Spain, Sweden and Denmark, gives Northern Ireland a tremendous boost as they will go into Sunday's World Cup draw in Durban in the third pool.

That means there will be fewer of the continent's heavyweights to take care of by the time the qualifiers come around in September.