The Israel national team faced the Republic of Ireland on Sunday evening in their second Nations League meeting within a week, with tensions between the teams continuing before kickoff.
As the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah," was played, Ireland’s players lowered their heads, while members of the Irish coaching staff turned their backs toward the field in protest. The Irish players also declined to participate in the customary pre-match handshake with the Israeli team.
The actions came amid ongoing political tensions surrounding Ireland’s position on Israel and the war against terrorism, as well as confrontations between the two sides during their previous meeting. In last week’s opening Nations League match, Ireland defeated Israel 3-0. The game was marked by protests and political statements, with tensions also spilling over into the teams’ post-match press conferences.
During that match, Irish players wore black armbands, saying they were worn in memory of victims of the conflict. On Sunday, Israeli players wore black armbands during the match, which was played at a neutral venue in Serbia.
Israel Football Association chairman Moshe Zuares had appealed directly to UEFA ahead of the game, requesting that players be permitted to wear black armbands in memory of the victims of the October 7 massacre, which Israel is commemorating this week.