UFC featherweight champion, Conor McGregor, has issued a rallying cry to the Republic of Ireland football team ahead of their opening game of the European Championships.

Martin O'Neill's side take on Sweden in their Group E opener at the Stade de France, the first time they meet the Swedes at a major tournament. 

In the video, McGregor hails the "most experienced side" of the competition, saying that the team were "in the trenches" while the rest were still in nappies.

"This is man's work now, it's time to take these guys back to school," he says.

 Spine tingling stuff.

Here is that rallying cry from @thenotoriousMMA to Ireland ahead of the start of #euro2016. We are here to take overhttps://t.co/wvOs5K8O4s

— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 13, 2016