On the evening of October 4th local time, in the UEFA Nations League group match held in Bačka Tepola, Serbia, the Irish team played to a 1-1 draw against Israel. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), tensions between the two teams escalated during the match, with an Irish coach accusing an Israeli player of spitting at him.
This closed-door competition was filled with a tense atmosphere from the beginning. Before the match, Irish players once again lowered their heads in protest when the Israeli national anthem was played, and they refused to shake hands with Israeli players. During the match, Irish players continued to wear black armbands as a tribute to those who lost their lives in the Gaza Strip.
The British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported that this 'enmity match' became increasingly intense. In the first half, both teams committed 19 fouls, creating a very tense atmosphere.
During the break, a conflict occurred between the players of both teams. Irish team coach Damien Doyle also accused an Israeli player of spitting at him. Reports said that on the broadcast footage, as the players walked towards the dressing room, a voice could be heard saying "They spit on me."
Irish national team coach Hemmi Halgreimson said after the match: "There were accusations of spitting, but I didn’t see it with my own eyes. We don’t want to talk about this; it will be reviewed, and it might be just like all the other things that happened between the two teams."
On October 4th local time, in Group B3 of the Euro League, Ireland faced Israel. During the pre-match ceremony where the national anthem was played, an Irish player bowed in respect. IC photo
Halgrimson said, “I think they wanted to intimidate us from the very beginning of the match. But I really appreciate the players for staying calm. It could have turned into a battle of red and yellow cards, but we remained composed. The players kept their emotions under control, and they handled themselves very well.”
When asked whether the two teams should face off again, Halgrimson said, “No, they shouldn’t. But it isn’t up to us to decide that; it’s up to UEFA.” He added that Ireland has strong support for Palestine.
Israel national team coach Ran Ben-Simon responded by saying, "During the halftime break, I was in the locker room with the coaching staff. I didn't see anything. I will reply to you when I have the opportunity to confirm something."
Since the outbreak of a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflicts in 2023, Ireland has repeatedly publicly condemned Israel, and tensions between the two countries remain high. On September 27 local time, during a Euro League match in Debrecen, Hungary, the Irish team defeated Israel 3-0. At that time, Irish players bowed their heads collectively when the Israeli national anthem was played before the game, and they refused to shake hands with Israeli players.
