Steven Davis has urged Northern Ireland to show “fight, energy and quality” as they face the might of World Cup winners Germany with a place in the knockout stages of Euro 2016 on the line.

The Saints star, who has just signed a new three-year contract at the club, led his country to a vital win over Ukraine last time out following defeat to Poland in their opening group game.

Niall McGinn’s stoppage-time strike against Ukraine ensured Michael O'Neill's side have a positive goal difference heading into this contest.

With the four best third-placed teams advancing, three points may prove to be enough given goal difference is the first tie-breaking scenario when countries are level on points.

Albania, third in Group A, finished with a goal difference of -2, and scored one fewer goal than the Northern Irish so, as long as O'Neill's team can avoid a shellacking against the Germans, they might go through anyway.

Davis is however looking at things in a far more positive light.

He said: “The result and the performance against Ukraine will give us huge belief going into our final group match against Germany in Paris.

“We were down after the Poland match but the quick turnaround in the group games gave us an opportunity to put things right and we took it.

“Germany will be very difficult opposition. They are the world champions and have world class players and of course we will have to be at our very best, but a big thing for us going into the tournament was to give ourselves a chance of qualification going into our final match and we have done that.

“They will be big favourites but you just never know what will happen.

“The odds are always stacked against us because we are a small country but we will show fight, energy and quality and see where it takes us against Germany.

“I do believe that if we play to our very maximum we can get something out of the game.”

He added: “I think winning on Thursday was the best moment in my career.

“Against Ukraine we went back to our bread and butter formation and it gave us a better opportunity to go and press them. It allowed us to do that from early on and set the tone for the game. It is a system we are all very used to playing and it worked for us.

“It was a huge call from Michael to make and it proved to be the right one. All five of the lads who came in to start the game were excellent. Obviously we have a lot of games in a short space of time in this tournament so we do have to use our squad and nowadays we have the quality to do that.

“I was pleased with the reaction of the players who didn't play. It is never easy because you always want to play but if we are to do anything in this competition we have to stick together.

“The support that the lads who played had from those who didn't was exceptional.”