Ireland beats Israel 3-0 in Nations League game amid political tension

No handshakes, no respect during the anthem - and no friendly interaction at all: The Nations League duel between Israel and Ireland found a clear winner in terms of sport, but it took place under extremely unpleasant conditions. When the Irish won 3-0 (3-0) in Debrecen, Hungary, the focus was not on football.

The players of both teams refrained from the usual gestures. The Irish bowed their heads to the ground as the Israeli anthem played; there were no shakehands or the passing of a pennant. There were no children there, as were Irish fans. There were very few spectators in the stadium and the game was also a big challenge for the German referee Harm Osmers.

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Since the beginning of the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Republic of Ireland has been one of the European countries that have particularly clearly expressed their support for the Palestinians. Israel's right to exist is expressly emphasized, at the same time Dublin officially recognized the state of Palestine in 2024.

“Situations we have never experienced before”

Only after a long team meeting did the Irish agree to play the game. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, on the other hand, did not want to play against Israel. Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson emphasized in the RTE interview that this had been “one of the most challenging weeks for me as a coach”: “We are in situations that we have never experienced before.”