‘They hate us and we don’t like them,’ Israel captain Manor Solomon declared as he vowed to take ‘revenge’ on the Republic of Ireland when the two teams meet for the second time in the Nations League on Sunday.
Ireland were 3-0 winners when the teams met in the Hungarian city Debrecen last week in a fixture that has become one of the most politically charged in football.
There had been calls for Ireland to boycott the match – which have continued ahead of the second fixture in Backa Topola in Serbia – because of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
On Saturday, Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson was even forced to cut short his press conference in chaotic scenes after his players were accused of using a racist term to describe Israel players by an Israeli journalist as the tension ahead of kick-off reached another level.
The calls were part of a ‘Stop The Game’ campaign, organised by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine and supported by former manager Brian Kerr and ex-international James McClean.
While the match went ahead, Ireland captain Dara O’Shea did not shake hands with Israeli counterpart Solomon ahead of the coin toss and Ireland wore black armbands throughout the game ‘in recognition of all lives lost in the [Gaza] conflict’.
Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, 24, also boycotted the match on ethical grounds, with players having held four-hour talks and a vote over whether they should play.
The Republic of Ireland will face Israel for the second time in the Nations League in a politically charged match
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson ended his press conference early after an Israeli journalist accused his players of racism
An Irish Times reporter suggested the ‘potential scale of fallout to come is the stuff of Saipan 2.0’, referencing the famous episode which saw Roy Keane walk out on the national team ahead of the 2002 World Cup after a dispute with manager Mick McCarthy, splitting public opinion.
Concerns around the two Israel fixtures have been present for months, with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) staging a vote in July as to whether they should go ahead. An extraordinary FAI general assembly voted 75-32 in favour, with three abstentions, of a motion ‘fulfilling its obligations’ by playing Israel.
The motion stated: ‘While acknowledging the strength of feeling regarding support for Palestine and the upcoming UEFA Men’s Nations League fixtures, that the members recognise the profound impact that any non-fulfilment of UEFA fixtures would have on Irish football as a whole and on its future development, and accordingly endorses the Association fulfilling its obligations in respect of those fixtures.’
The FAI had previously warned of a ‘significant financial impact’ if the fixtures were not fulfilled, as well as citing concerns UEFA could take disciplinary action that could lead to ‘relegation to League C in the Nations League, and weaken out qualifying potential to UEFA Euro 2028’.
The FAI had last year approved a motion to call on UEFA to ban Israel from European club and international competitions.
Subsequently the organisation claimed UEFA turned down a request to keep the nations apart in competition draws, due to the nations not being in a direct conflict. UEFA did, however, approve the fixtures between the nations be held at neutral venues after they were drawn in the same Nations League group.
FAI president Paul Cooke and chief executive David Courell have both defended the governing body’s handling of the situation, which has seen players and manager Heimir Hallgrimsson thrust into the political discussion.
Hallgrimsson had said ahead of the first fixture that his team are ‘playing against genocide’ amid Israel’s attacks on Palestine, where more than 70,000 people have been killed since the war in Gaza began.
A friendly between in May was disrupted twice after fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch featuring the Palestine flag, as protestors urged Ireland to boycott the matches with Israel
Former manager Brian Kerr and ex-international James McClean are among those to have backed a boycott
Hallgrimsson’s comments sparked an angry backlash from Israeli officials, who accused the Icelandic coach of ‘stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy’.
Ireland’s second-choice goalkeeper Bazunu then pulled out of the fixture last weekend, issuing a statement insisting he isn’t against Israelis or Jews – but against the atrocities in Gaza.
‘Representing my country means everything to me,’ Bazunu said. ‘I have the utmost respect for every single one of my teammates, the manager, his staff and the Irish people.
‘However, I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle, therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel.
‘My decision is based purely upon my belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition to the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region.
‘There are few times when you get a chance in life to stand for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.’
The Irish Times later reported that multiple players ‘turned’ on the goalkeeper, with ‘genuine anger’ towards him leaving him ‘brutally isolated’. However, Bazunu’s decision had reportedly led to some players considering pulling out alongside him, before a ‘significant majority’ voted in favour of playing the game and protesting.
According to former Irish manager Kerr, that vote occurred in the absence of Bazunu and ended 14-8 in favour of fulfilling the fixture. The FAI refused to confirm or deny those figures.
Ireland’s substitutes and staff looked at the floor during Israel’s anthem in the first match last weekend, with the squad having voted on the eve of the tie to fulfill the fixture
Bazunu’s withdrawal meant that Jimmy Dunne, the QPR centre-back, was named as a keeper on the official team-sheet due to UEFA rules requiring teams to name at least three goalkeepers in their squad.
Bazunu was part of Ireland’s squad for their midweek match against Austria, but was replaced in the squad for the second fixture against Israel by Josh Keeley.
Hallgrimsson has claimed there have been a lot of ‘lies’ around Bazunu’s situation and insisted the squad had welcomed him back for the match against Austria.
‘It is probably more tough for him than the other players but they have really welcomed him,’ Hallgrimsson said in midweek. ‘There have been a lot of lies said around all of this, but we welcome him back.
‘That he is taking part is amazing and it shows his character as well, to be with us. I want to give him praise for that. I want to give the players praise for how welcome they have been with him.
‘Life goes on, Gavin is a part this group. It shows how strong the bond is between these players. Even a thing like this is not breaking us. We are sticking together.’
Bazunu was not the only player thrust into the spotlight, with Hallgrimsson admitting he had taken the decision to leave out Finn Azaz, who has Israeli heritage, from the first match.
Azaz was named in the squad for last weekend’s fixture, but remained on the bench throughout the victory in Debrecen.
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad due to Israel’s actions in Gaza
Finn Azaz, who has Israeli heritage, was an unused substitute in the first match with Hallgrimsson having since praised his ’emotional awareness’ around the Ireland camp
Azaz’s mother has Israeli citizenship, while he has previously spoken about how his grandmother had been a general in the Israel Defence Forces.
Hallgrimsson, who admitted Azaz is in a ‘different position to other players in our squad’, praised his conduct in the Ireland camp.
‘I think Finn has shown incredible emotional control and awareness,’ Hallgrimsson said. ‘In my mind at the moment, he is one of the persons I admire the most in how he conducted himself in all of this.
It is about being a member of a team, you need to listen to all opinions. To do your work with grace and understanding of all opinions.
‘Talking about walking the extra mile to be a part of a national team, I don’t have words to explain to you. He has so much respect in this group of players. Again, he is one of the persons I admire the most in the world at the moment.’
According to the Irish Independent, Azaz had made an ‘impassioned speech’ to team-mates to present an Israeli perspective amid discussions as to whether the match would take place.
Reports in Ireland followed suggested Azaz is considering retiring from international football following this window.
The second match, which Hallgrimsson confirmed in midweek would take place, could yet prove more charged following the fallout from the first fixture.
The customary pre-match handshake did not take place and during the playing of the Israel anthem, Ireland’s starting XI looked towards the floor in unison – as did their substitutes. Ireland also decided against giving a pennant to Israel to mark the match – a standard gesture in all international fixtures.
There were no handshakes as full time and Ireland’s players were booed by the small number of Israeli fans present as they left the field.
The FAI are also investigating allegations forward Adam Idah was racially abused by Israel supporters. The organisation has said it was informed by a delegate a UEFA investigation could not take place because no clear allegation of racism was reported during the game.
Captains Dara O’Shea and Manor Solomon did not shake hands prior to the match in Hungary
The Republic of Ireland earned a dominant 3-0 victory in the Nations League clash
The events around the match also prompted an explosive outburst post-match from Israel captain Solomon, who declared Israel is ‘ten times better’ than Ireland.
‘They said nonsense [to us] during the game, I don’t want to talk about them,’ the West Ham attacker said. ‘If I say what I think about them, I’ll probably be banned for a few games so I don’t want to say. Of course they hate us and we don’t like them.
‘I believe in ourselves that we can do it. I know who I’m with here, I know the players and the team, we will get out of this and get revenge for this.
‘I’m already looking forward to the next game against them, it’s going to be completely different. What they did with the anthem? I’m not interested in them, we have a country that is ten times better than theirs, stronger, an amazing country with amazing people.
‘We are proud to wear the national team’s shirt and be Israelis. We are proud of our country and our soldiers. [The Irish] can play all their tricks. We are Israelis and love the country. And that will always be the case.’
The remote Serbian town of Backa Topola will provide the venue for the second fixture, in a match taking place behind closed doors.
Hallgrimsson has borne the brunt of questions around the fixture beyond football matters, but Irish press officers were forced to intervene in Backa Topola on Saturday after he was first seemingly asked to comment on the Flydubai incident, which saw a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted amid an alleged hijacking by a co-pilot with ‘extremist views’.
‘What do you say about the people you support, the ideology is based on murder, just this week one of them tried to kill 100 Israeli passengers, 27 children. Innocent children and thousands of others,’ the first journalist managed, before being pulled up by Ireland’s press officer Kieran Crowley.
‘We are only concentrating on football questions today,’ said Crowley, before a second journalist asked a far more incendiary question.
The second Israeli journalist alleged that Ireland players had called their Israeli counterparts ‘monkeys’, prompting an immediate response from Crowley, who said: ‘That is completely untrue. That is completely untrue.’
The press officer then attempted to take the microphone from the journalist who insisted that he was doing ‘his job’ and told him ‘you cannot take it’ in an attempt to keep hold of it.
‘They are not lying about it,’ the journalist insisted, while a representative close to Hallgrimsson called an end to the press conference and for the Irish media to follow him out for a separate media huddle.
‘You’ve just broadcast a lie,’ he said to the second journalist, who continued to state that he was entitled to ask the question in the open press conference.
Israel captain Manor Solomon boasted how his country is ‘ten times better’ than Ireland, stating ‘they hate us and we don’t like them’
An Israeli television reporter is believed to have then followed the manager into the hall to demand further access beyond UEFA’s pre-match agreement, but was blocked by a member of Ireland’s security team.
No UEFA delegate was present for the press conference.
Hallgrimsson later described the interruption to Irish media as a ‘verbal attack’.
The fixture had initially been scheduled to take place in Dublin, but was moved after the threat of a boycott grew and after a friendly with Qatar in May was stopped twice when tennis balls featuring the Palestine flag were thrown onto the pitch.
While the match will be shown by RTE in Ireland, the broadcaster will again cut back its screening of the game with no studio punditry, no advertising and only using commentary from an international feed.
RTE had said it would only ‘meet its contractual obligations’ to broadcast the fixtures.
Hundreds of pubs in Ireland refused to show the first fixture between the teams and vowed to do so again for the second.
The Nations League fixtures have come amid wider tensions between Ireland and Israel.
In May 2024, Ireland officially recognised a Palestinian state – alongside Spain and Norway – and later that year joined South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
The country has also refused to take part in Eurovision due to Israel’s ongoing participation in the song contest and was the first EU nation to boycott goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
In June, the country issued travel bans on Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry last week said the Palestinian death toll has risen to 74,016, with 175,068 wounded.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage.
While a ceasefire that took effect last October 10 has halted the heaviest fighting, Israeli strikes have continued in what the military has said are responses to threats or attacks.
Since the ceasefire, 1,145 Palestinians have been killed, said the ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government.
The teams will meet again in the Serbian town Backa Topola on Sunday night
Meanwhile, seven Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.
Next steps in the US-brokered ceasefire remain largely stalled.
Israeli forces now control over half of the territory, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says they will not withdraw until Hamas disarms.
Between the highly charged Nations League matches this week, Ireland boss Hallgrimsson admitted ‘none of us have experienced a situation like this.’
‘When we look back in two or three weeks we will see we could have done things better, he said.
‘But, hopefully, in time, we will see that we took more right decisions than wrong ones.’
