The national teams of Israel and Ireland played the Nations League match with mourning armbands and without handshakes

The players of the Israeli national team went to the match with the Irish team in the League of Nations wearing mourning armbands in memory of the victims of the events of October 7.

In the match between Israel and Ireland there were no pre-match handshakes, and the Irish defiantly lowered their heads during the playing of the Israeli anthem.

UEFA has approved a request for matches between Israel and Ireland to be played on a neutral ground without spectators due to tensions between the federations over the Irish side's position on Israel's actions in Gaza.

MOSCOW, October 4 - RIA Novosti. The players of the Israeli national team entered the match with the Irish team in the League of Nations wearing mourning armbands in memory of the victims of the events of October 7, according to the page of the Israeli Football Association on the social network X.

The meeting of the fourth round of Group 3 League B of the Nations League between the national teams of Israel and Ireland takes place on Sunday in the Serbian city of Backa Topola. In the previous match between these teams on September 27 in Debrecen, Hungary (3:0), the Irish took to the field with mourning armbands in memory of those killed in the conflict in the Gaza Strip. During the pre-match performance of the Israeli anthem, the Irish defiantly lowered their heads and looked at the lawn. Also, the teams and their captains did not shake hands.

"The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has approved the request of the Israel Football Federation: in today's match against the Irish national team, the national team will take to the field with black armbands in memory of those killed in the tragic events of October 7," the statement said.

After the national anthems, the players dispersed onto the field, foregoing pregame handshakes.

In June, UEFA approved a request to hold matches between Israel and Ireland on a neutral field and without spectators. Tensions between the federations relate to the position of the Irish side regarding Israeli actions in Gaza. Earlier, journalist Leila Hamed reported on the social network X that Irish football players could boycott the match. Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said one player had left the national team after he expressed a desire not to participate in the match against the Israelis.