The Republic of Ireland and Israel players did not participate in the traditional handshakes before their Uefa Nations League match held at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Hungary on Sunday. As the squads took to the pitch, Irish players stood for their national anthem and appeared to bow their heads during the playing of Israel’s anthem. Following the ceremony, both teams bypassed the customary pre-kickoff greeting. Furthermore, there was no exchange of pennants between Irish captain Dara O’Shea and Israeli skipper Manor Solomon.
Controversy and squad preparation
The fixture has been marked by significant controversy since February, when the two nations were drawn together in Group B3. The Republic of Ireland squad faced intense pressure to boycott the match due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, fueled by a Stop The Game campaign organised by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine. Despite these calls, the Irish players voted to fulfil the fixture following a lengthy meeting at their team hotel in Debrecen on Saturday.
Player withdrawals and on-pitch gestures
- Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu confirmed his withdrawal from the squad on Saturday, stating he felt it would be wrong to participate in Sunday’s match or the return fixture in Serbia on 4 October.
- The Republic of Ireland players wore black armbands throughout the game. Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive David Courell noted this was a gesture in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict.
- After scoring the Republic of Ireland’s third goal, Jack Moylan removed his armband and kissed it before kissing the team badge on his shirt.
Atmosphere inside the stadium
The Republic of Ireland players were jeered by a small number of Israel fans present when they emerged for their pre-game warm-up. While the FAI had previously confirmed that no tickets would be sold to Republic of Ireland supporters, a small group of fans were nonetheless spotted inside the venue.
