
Neco Williams left the Spanish national team camp due to a thigh injury after scoring a goal in Spain's victory over Croatia, while the Irish national team tied with Austria 2-2 amid pro-Palestine protests, and the Dutch national team survived a loss to Greece with a 2-2 draw thanks to a fatal goal from Tijani Reynders.
AI-generated summary
This comes within the framework of the European Nations League competitions, as Spain began its campaign with two victories over England and Croatia, while Ireland’s matches witness repeated protests in support of Palestine, and the Netherlands seeks to restore its balance under the leadership of new coach Xavi Hernandez.
Athletic Bilbao winger Neco Williams left the Spanish national team camp due to a thigh injury, missing Spain's remaining two matches during the current international break.
Williams, 24, scored the fourth goal in Spain's 4-1 win over Croatia on Tuesday, in the European Nations League, before suffering a minor injury.
The Spanish Federation explained that the player felt discomfort in his left thigh after facing Croatia in Seville, and his condition was monitored during the rest day, before he missed the training session on Thursday due to continued discomfort.
After undergoing additional medical examinations, it was decided that he would leave the national team camp and continue his recovery process.
The technical staff will not call for a substitute player, so the team’s roster will consist of 25 players, in preparation for facing the Czech Republic, on Saturday, and then visiting Croatia, on Tuesday.
The Spanish national team, the champion of the 2026 World Cup, started its campaign in the European Nations League strongly, by defeating England 3-2 at Wembley Stadium, before sweeping Croatia 4-1, to lead the third group of the first level with a full score with 6 points.
The Irish national team tied with its Austrian guest 2-2, on Thursday, in the third group competitions in the second level of the European Nations League, in a match that witnessed a short halt due to protests against the Irish national team’s decision to play its next match against Israel.
Ireland was leading 1-0 amid a large crowd at the Aviva Stadium, when the referee stopped the match in the 20th minute, after protesters threw a number of tennis balls bearing the Palestinian flag onto the field from the stands behind the goals.
Play was stopped for more than two minutes, before the match resumed, while a man wearing the Palestinian flag tried to enter the field later in the first half, before security personnel removed him.
The “Stop the Match” campaign announced the end of its protest during the match, and described what happened as a symbolic and limited move in solidarity with national team goalkeeper Gavin Bazuno and the Palestinian people.
Bazuno had withdrawn from the Ireland squad on the eve of the 3-0 victory over Israel, last Sunday, in a match held in Hungary, after the players took two votes and the majority chose to play the match.
On the technical level, Troy Parrott gave the Irish team the lead in the 12th minute, after he bypassed three defenders and penetrated into the penalty area before shooting a low ball into the far corner.
Parrott returned to add the second goal from a penalty kick before the end of the first half, but Austria succeeded in returning during the second half through substitutes Alexander Bras and Michael Gregoritsch, so the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Bazunu returned to the national team roster and sat on the bench against Austria, but he will not participate in the match against Israel, next Sunday, which the Irish Federation moved to Serbia, where it will be held without an audience in the city of Bačka Topola.
Members of the Irish Football Association voted in November to ask the UEFA Board of Directors to suspend Israel’s participation in European competitions, before adopting a proposal in July supporting the continuation of competitions.
Ireland's friendly match against Qatar at the Aviva Stadium was previously stopped twice during the first half last May due to a similar protest.
The Dutch national team and its new Spanish coach, Xavi Hernandez, survived a loss against its Greek host, after coming back from a two-goal deficit and snatching a valuable 2-2 draw, on Thursday, in the third round of the European Nations League.
Greece maintained its lead in Group Two of the first level with 7 points, while Germany ranks third with 4 points.
Greece seemed on its way to achieving its third victory in a row after establishing its advantage in the first half. Christos Tsoulis scored an early goal in the 13th minute, but it was ruled out for offside, before the player suffered an injury and left the field five minutes later, with Giorgos Masouras taking his place.
Masouras quickly left his mark, after creating the first goal with a header pass to Fotis Ioannidis, who opened the scoring in the 23rd minute.
Before the end of the first half, Ioannidis returned the gift to Masouras and assisted him with the second goal, as Greece entered the break with a 2-0 lead.
But the Dutch team returned strongly in the second half, and its captain Virgil van Dijk reduced the difference with a header in the 59th minute, following a corner kick taken by Joey Firman.
While Greece was minutes away from claiming the three points, Tijani Reynders snatched the equalizer for the Netherlands in the 89th minute, saving his country and its coach Xavi Hernandez from the first loss in his third match at the helm of the coaching staff.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Neco Williams will continue his recovery program with Athletic Bilbao and return to the national team for the upcoming international break
Likely · Within weeks
Pro-Palestine protests will continue at matches involving Israel with the support of European activists
Possible · Within months
The German national team achieved its first victory under the leadership of Jurgen Klopp over Serbia with a score of 2-0 thanks to two goals from Thomas Bischoff and Florian Wirtz, reaching 4 points in third place in Group Two, while Serbia remains at the bottom without points after three consecutive losses.

The Welsh national team overturned a deficit against Norway to win 2-1 in Cardiff, while the Dutch national team tied with its Greek host 2-2 after falling behind by two goals, and the Irish national team tied with Austria 2-2 in a match that witnessed pro-Palestine protests.

The Dutch national team tied with its Greek host 2-2 after falling behind by two goals, while the German national team defeated its Serbian guest 2-0 under the leadership of its new coach Jurgen Klopp, in the third round matches of the European Nations League for the first level.

The Irish national team tied with its Austrian guest 2-2 in the European Nations League, after the match was stopped due to protests over the decision to play the next match against Israel, while Paris Saint-Germain beat UD Heverle Leuven 5-0 in the Women's Champions League, Manchester City tied with Real Madrid 1-1, and Germany beat Serbia 2-0 under the leadership of Jurgen Klopp.

The German national team achieved its first victory under the leadership of new coach Jurgen Klopp by defeating its Serbian guest 2-0 in the third round of the first level of the European Nations League, after a draw with the Netherlands and a loss to Greece, while the results of the other matches continued with Portugal defeating Denmark 4-2, the Netherlands drawing with Greece 2-2, and Norway falling to Wales 2-1, and the match between Ireland and Austria was stopped due to public protests by throwing tennis balls bearing the Palestinian flag in objection to Ireland playing. Its match against Israel.

France's Paris Saint-Germain achieved a landslide victory over its guest, UD Heverle Leuven, 5-0, in the Women's Champions League, while Portugal beat Denmark 4-2 in the European Nations League, Manchester City tied with Real Madrid 1-1, Inter with Austria Vienna 1-1, and Denmark's KOE beat Swiss Servette 5-1. The match between Ireland and Austria was stopped due to protests by tennis balls bearing the Palestinian flag.