O'Neill: Smyth is a little player with a big heart

Smyth came on as a substitute with just six minutes remaining, and with the score level at 1-1. Four minutes into his debut appearance for the national side, he had scored the winner, becoming the first Northern Irish international to score on their debut for 17 years. 

His goal secured a 2-1 win for Northern Ireland over South Korea at Windsor Park, in a friendly fixture between the two sides. 

Just two days earlier the Queens Park Rangers man had played all 90 minutes for NI's Under 21 side, but Michael O'Neill gave him a chance to step up on Saturday, and he seized his opportunity. 

"It is fabulous for the boy. He loved it, you could just see," O'Neill said, speaking after the game. "His enthusiasm is infectious and the boys love him. He's a player with a big future, but he has to work hard."

"He's still very small, he's still very light but he's got a huge heart for the game and we're delighted with him."

O'Neill also revealed that he had planned for the young forward to join the senior side all along. "The intention was always to have Paul Smyth in," he stated.

"We didn't name him in the original squad because it was too complicated.

"With the 21s playing Spain on Thursday we wanted his focus to be there, we didn't tell him he was coming in until after the game. That was the plan all along."