Striker Kyle Lafferty has billed Monday night's clash with Hungary as the "biggest game" of the Northern Ireland players' careers as they bid to turn their Euro 2016 dream into reality.
The prospect of a trip to France next summer is now firmly on the horizon for Michael O'Neill's Group F table-toppers following Friday night's 3-1 win in the Faroe Islands, and victory over the Hungarians at Windsor Park will hand them a berth in a major international tournament for the first time in 30 years.
The likes of Jonny Evans, who has three English top-flight winners' medals to his credit, and Steven Davis, a starter in the 2008 UEFA Cup final, may have been on grand stages before but Lafferty believes the chance to create a landmark for their country is even more significant.
"The players know that this is the biggest game of their careers -- win and we create history," the Norwich forward said. "We want to do it so much for the fans and they deserve it. It should be a very special night at Windsor."
Northern Ireland have been absent for every tournament since the 1986 World Cup and are yet to appear at a European Championship finals.
So to be this close to realising their goal at this stage of the qualifiers is a factor Lafferty admits he can scarcely believe.
"I could never have imagined that we would be in this position with just three games to go - five wins, a draw and just one defeat," he added. "This could be the first time Northern Ireland have ever qualified for a Euro finals. It really is some achievement.
"I'm excited, I know everyone else is excited and we can't wait to make sure we get across the finish line."
The 27-year-old has struck six goals in the group stages -- only Poland's Robert Lewandowski has managed more across the continent -- but conceded his lack of match fitness and the possibility of a suspension tempered his efforts somewhat against the Faroes in Torshavn.
However, given the prize at stake when the Hungarians visit the Northern Irish capital, Lafferty has no plans to hold back for his country's next fixture.
"I'm delighted to score another goal but the most important thing is we got the three points," he admitted. "If I'm honest though I think my performance showed that I wasn't match fit. My lack of game time really showed. But come Monday night I want to make more of a contribution.
"I know that I have to help the team go out and get three points. It was constantly in my mind that I was one booking away from a suspension so I couldn't play my natural game.
"But on Monday night I will not be thinking about the yellow card, I'll be giving it my absolute all. I know that if we win then we qualify for France so I'm really looking forward to Monday now."
Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill said the fact that Lafferty came through 78 minutes unscathed bodes well for Monday's game, and added that Evans should be fit as well.
"Laffers was a wee bit down the gears,'' O'Neill acknowledged. "It's only natural with his first game this season, coming back off the injury, he will certainly be better for the 78 minutes. Getting the goal's an extra bonus for him as well.
Jonny will as well, although I thought Jonny had a very good game. It's two players coming in and it's virtually their first game of the season. They handled it extremely well.
"All of those things combined are going to help us with the game on Monday night."
O'Neill said he spent Friday evening trying to avoid knowing how Group F rivals Hungary were faring.
"Towards the end they were telling me things that I didn't really want to hear -- the ones in the dugout," O'Neill said of being kept abreast of developments in the clash between Hungary and Romania.
"As soon as we came in we knew it was done. I've been in this situation as a player where you're dealing with other results, it wasn't like that scenario because there's still so much football to play. The most important thing was to focus on ourselves.
"But the result in Budapest is fantastic for us. We'll look at the highlights and the game but we know Hungary very well, we know where their threat is. We'll be able to deal with that threat.
"The players have already gone there and won. They know how to win in this situation. It's a situation that everyone's looking forward to."