On Sunday, Israel and Ireland faced each other in a tense Nations League match held in Hungary. The fixture stirred controversy, particularly because of Israel’s actions in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks by Hamas, which resulted in nearly 1,200 casualties.

In a statement from June, Ireland’s soccer federation announced that their home game against Israel would relocate to a neutral field, without spectators. This decision came after their unsuccessful motion to UEFA to exclude Israel from club and international competitions. Despite efforts to push for a ban, the match proceeded in Debrecen as planned.

The Irish players demonstrated their dissent visibly. During the Israeli national anthem, the team wore black armbands and looked downward with their hands held behind their backs. Dara O’Shea, the Irish captain, was notably reserved, opting not to engage in handshakes with Israeli players during the pre-match proceedings.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu took his protest further, opting out of the match entirely. He cited his “personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong” as his reason. Bazunu clarified that his stance was directed at the situation in the region, not at the Israeli people or Jewish community.

As one of Israel’s vocal critics regarding the conflict in Gaza, Ireland has consistently expressed its position. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, during an interview, condemned antisemitism while labeling Israel’s military response as “absolutely disproportionate.”

Following extensive discussions, Irish players voted to participate in the match. David Courell, CEO of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), mentioned that the decision came after four hours of deliberations and voting.

Israel’s Football Association stated that politics should not interfere with sports. Consequently, all of their Nations League matches will take place in Debrecen.

In the end, Ireland triumphed over Israel with a commanding 3-0 victory.