Healy's hat-trick brought his NI goals tally up to 23

"We let down people on Saturday but what was written got a little bit out of hand," said Healy after Wednesday's amazing Euro 2008 qualifier victory.

"We showed our character more than anything tonight and that should be a lesson for everybody.

"We wanted to put a bit of pride back in the Northern Ireland jersey."

Interview: Northern Ireland's David Healy

Healy scorcher

The Northern Ireland fans booed the players after Saturday's defeat and Healy acknowledged that the reception had "disappointed" the players.

After the Iceland defeat, manager Lawrie Sanchez blamed the media for raising false expectations about his team and hat-trick hero Healy also alluded to this issue after Wednesday's win.

"What the hype is, comes from the way we have performed over the last couple of years and some of the results we had got.

It has been a difficult and traumatic time IFA chief executive Howard Wells after Lawrie Sanchez refused to attend a post-match press conference

"People want us to perform like that all the time. It didn't happen for us on Saturday and all the players were even more disappointed that the fans."

Sanchez received some strong media criticism after the Iceland defeat and he refused to give any interviews after Wednesday's win.

Irish Football Association chief executive Howard Wells delivered a message to the media that Sanchez would not be hosting a press conference.

No reason was given but Wells said: "It has been a difficult and traumatic time."

But while Sanchez didn't want to talk to the press, debutant Jonny Evans was happy to hail the victory as "one of the best days of my life".

"It's unbelievable," the Manchester United youngster told BBC Northern Ireland.

Hopefully we answered a few things that were asked of us and hopefully shut a few people up NI skipper Aaron Hughes

"We'd like to thank the fans, they were tremendous. They really got behind us and after Saturday we really owed it to the fans.

"I was just delighted to get an opportunity and I wanted to take it, to rub shoulders with and beat the megastars of Spain."

Captain Aaron Hughes said: "We're delighted not just with the result but how we went about it.

"Hopefully we answered a few things that were asked of us and hopefully shut a few people up. We were disappointed on Saturday but got our just rewards today.

"We've beaten one of the best teams in the world."

The result capped an eventful few days for Hughes as his wife gave birth to the couple's second child on Sunday.