Ireland and Israel Players Skip Handshakes Before UEFA Match

The Republic of Ireland players bowed their heads during Israel's national anthem.

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Players from the Republic of Ireland and Israel did not shake hands before their UEFA Nations League match in Hungary on Sunday.

According to BBC Sport, after arriving on the pitch at the Nagyerdei Stadion, the Republic of Ireland players stood for their national anthem. They also bowed their heads during Israel’s anthem.

After the anthems, the usual pre-match handshake between the two teams did not happen. Ireland captain Dara O’Shea and Israel captain Manor Solomon did not exchange handshakes or pennants.

This match has been controversial since the teams were drawn together in Group B3 in February. This was due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza.

Irish players received calls to withdraw from the matches. The “Stop The Game” campaign, organized by the group Irish Sport for Palestine, urged them not to play.

However, Ireland’s players decided to go ahead with the match after a long meeting at their hotel in Debrecen on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu later pulled out of the squad. He said he felt it would be wrong to play in the match on Sunday and in the return match in Serbia on October 4.

The Irish players wore black armbands during the match. David Courell, chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland, said the gesture honored all lives lost in the Gaza conflict.

Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson mentioned that the controversy made the week hard for him and his players.

He said the intense attention created mixed emotions in the team. His main concern was to protect the players while keeping them focused on the game.

The match took place at a neutral venue in Hungary, attracting heightened attention surrounding the fixture.