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Healy to receive special Uefa award for goalscoring feat

26/03/2008

Northern Ireland striker David Healy is to be presented with a special Uefa award after scoring a record 13 goals in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

The Fulham hitman, who amassed his impressive tally in just 12 matches, will receive the accolade from Uefa president Michel Platini before tonight's friendly against Georgia at Windsor Park.

Although the goals failed to fire his country to the finals tournament in Austria and Switzerland this summer, Platini said the striker's achievement represented an "outstanding performance [that]... deserves to be recognised".

"I am sure that this record will last for some time to come and will be hard to beat," he added.

"This is why I will be presenting him with a special award to celebrate his fantastic achievement."

Healy described the award as "a great honour" and said he is "looking forward to meeting one of the greats of European and world football" in Platini.

"For him to take the time out to come to Belfast to present the award is a great honour. I'm looking forward to meeting the great man," Healy explained.

"It's a great honour to hold the record. Maybe someone will break it sometime - but hopefully it will stand for another few years.

"Thirteen is a lot of goals in 12 games, so hopefully somebody will have to go some to break it."

Healy added that his personal highlight of the campaign was the hat-trick he scored in the 3-2 home victory over Spain – the eventual group winners.

"To score one against Spain was good but to score a hat-trick was great," he added.

"It was a hugely entertaining campaign for the players and fans alike."