Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in Nations League after refusing pre-match handshakes
Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan scored inside 25 minutes as Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in Debrecen, with players refusing handshakes at full time.
The Republic of Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in their controversial Nations League fixture at a neutral venue in Hungary on Sunday, with goals from Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan sealing the win inside 25 minutes.
Players did not shake hands before the meeting at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, and there was no exchange between Ireland captain Dara O’Shea and Israel’s Manor Solomon. The Irish players bowed their heads during Israel’s national anthem and wore black armbands, which FAI chief executive David Courell said was a gesture recognising “all lives lost” in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Moylan celebrated his goal by kissing and raising his black armband before kissing his badge. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was the only Ireland player who chose not to play, after the squad voted on Saturday to proceed with the match amid calls for it not to go ahead.
At the final whistle, the Irish players maintained their refusal to interact with the Israelis, with no handshakes at the end of play.
Sources
- Sky Sports, “Israel 0-3 Republic of Ireland: Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side win controversial Nations League meeting in Hungary”, 27 Sept 2026: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/13592543/israel-0-3-republic-of-ireland-heimir-hallgrimssons-side-win-controversial-nations-league-meeting-in-hungary
- The Times of Israel, “Israel defeated 3-0 in Nations League match against Ireland”, 27 Sept 2026: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-defeated-3-0-in-nations-league-match-against-ireland/
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