Ireland beat Israel on and off the field in controversial match: heads bowed during anthem, celebration for Gaza

They didn't even want to play, then in the end they agreed to do it, but in their own way: the Irish national team played the match valid for the Nations League round in Group B, Group 3, on a neutral field in Debrecen, Hungary, winning 3-0. By lowering their heads during the Israeli national anthem, without shaking hands with their opponents and celebrating a goal, the third and final, scored by Moylan, remembering the victims of Gaza. Other gestures that are added to the very harsh statements of the Irish Football Association in condemning the Palestinian genocide, the reason for which they had tried not to take to the field.

In the end, the match took place normally and without incident, honoring the sport, but carrying with it the severity of two strongly antagonistic positions and fueled by a great ideological opposition. “We do not play with Israel, but against Israel. We do not play for genocide, but against genocide” were the harsh words expressed by the Irish Federation, which had reluctantly accepted that it had to take to the field anyway to play a match that UEFA had requested to take place. But before and during the match, the Irish players did not miss the opportunity to show all their opposition.

The first gesture of protest broadcast around the world was during the pre-match anthems: during the Israeli one, Hallgrimsson's players all bowed their heads to the ground, with black armbands on their arms, in support of the Palestinian people and against the genocide in Gaza, a sociopolitical theme strongly felt throughout Ireland and at the heart of the national team's protest. But that's not all: at the moment of exchanging flags, the Irish captain refused to shake the Israeli captain's hand, and when Jack Moylan scored the goal for the final score of 3-0, he did not miss the opportunity to bring up the subject, celebrating in a special way: he removed the black armband from his arm, kissed it and pointed it at the audience and the cameras, in another symbolic gesture of a match with strong non-sporting content.

However, in addition to the pre-match controversy, there were also those who, despite everything, had decided to respect their beliefs and not accept to play the match. Even after losing the vote that had occurred after a “vote” in the locker room had decided by majority to play. Gavin Bazunu chose not to train, to stay in the hotel and not to accept the shirt, forcing the coach to appoint a field player as the second goalkeeper. Along with him, three other footballers stayed in the hotel: “As a country, we have strongly criticized the Israeli government”, the Football Association had recalled, before succumbing to UEFA pressure: if they did not take to the field, Ireland would risk a defeat in the table, seriously risking relegation to League C, in addition to facing severe sanctions.