Q Radio Sport
Steven Davis admits he has only just begun to understand the scale of his achievement as he prepares to become Northern Ireland's most-capped player.
Davis stands to earn his 120th cap when Northern Ireland face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo on Thursday night, eclipsing the record of Pat Jennings that he equalled last month.
The moment has been long anticipated, a topic of discussion as Davis began to draw closer and closer to Jennings' record last year, but it was not something the Rangers midfielder had given much thought to until recently.
"It is a massive milestone for me," the 35-year-old said. "I've probably downplayed it a little in the past but that's just in my nature and the way football is.
"You try to concentrate on one game at a time without looking too far ahead."
🗣 "They've put themselves down as firm favourites, we're comfortable if they underestimate us."
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) October 7, 2020
Ian Baraclough and Steven Davis can't wait for our UEFA Euro play-off semi-final tomorrow night 👊🏻 #GAWA pic.twitter.com/cWHAzxRdq5
Davis will not have too much time for ceremony before Thursday's crunch fixture, a Euro 2020 qualifying play-off semi-final with Northern Ireland potentially 180 minutes away from a ticket to next summer's finals.
"It does take a lot of hard work and sacrifice to get to this stage but it is an incredible achievement to get to this point and it's a great game to mark the milestone hopefully," Davis added.
The winner of Thursday's match - originally due to have been played in March before the pandemic hit - will face either Slovakia or the Republic of Ireland next month for a place at the rearranged Euro 2020.
"The lads are buzzing around the place..."
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) October 7, 2020
Matt Doherty says the Ireland squad are confident heading into tomorrow's game against Slovakia 💪#COYBIG | #SVKIRL pic.twitter.com/ZBN6VxQV8G
Republic defender Matt Doherty has promised his side will remain calm, even if they have to come from behind in their play-off.
The 28-year-old Tottenham full-back and his team-mates face a tough task in Bratislava, knowing only victory will do if they are to book a showdown with either their neighbours in Belfast or Bosnia.
However, Slovakia's Inter Milan centre-back Milan Škriniar has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss the match with Stephen Kenny's men.
The home side were already without injured Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka as well as striker Michal Ďuriš and defenders Dávid Hancko and Lukáš Štetina.