International Career
Harte played for the Republic of Ireland national under-19 football team in the 1996 UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship finals in Luxembourg. He has played for the Republic of Ireland on 63 occasions, scoring 12 goals. He was handed his international debut in 1996 against Croatia having made just four appearances for Leeds and earned a regular starting berth for the 1998 World Cup qualifying campaign.
However, as his club career flourished post 1998, Harte found himself out of the reckoning at international level though he returned for the 2002 World Cup qualifiers and was the only player to play every minute as Ireland managed to reach the finals. Harte also notched up four goals during the campaign, from left back, including a penalty against Iran in the play-off, though he struggled at the World Cup because of a toe injury and the emergence of John O'Shea restricted his appearances under Brian Kerr.
He was recalled to the team for the home match against Israel on 4 June 2005 and the away game in the Faroe Islands four days later. Harte scored in both games, which marked his return to the Irish senior football set-up.
In May 2011 Harte criticized the national team's management when it emerged they didn't even realise he was Irish and available to play for the national side, despite being in fine form for his club.
Read more about this topic: Ian Harte
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