Israeli soccer players honored the victims of a terror attack on October 7, 2023, during a UEFA Nations League match against Ireland. Players wore black armbands marked with ‘7.10’ to signify the attack date, which resulted in over 1,000 Israeli deaths. UEFA approved the armbands before the game, as announced by the Israel Football Association.
A statement on social media from the association confirmed, ‘@UEFA has approved the Israel Football Association’s request for the national team to wear black armbands in tonight’s match against @IrelandFootball in memory of those murdered in the October 7 massacre. May their memory be a blessing.’
The match took place amid tensions between the two countries. Ireland’s soccer team had faced calls to boycott games against Israel.
Earlier, Irish soccer resisted match boycotts fearing sanctions from UEFA. In September, when the teams faced off in the Nations League, Irish players did not shake hands with their Israeli counterparts and wore black armbands in protest. On Sunday, Irish players repeated the action during their match in Backa Topola, Serbia.
Before the second match, a pre-match press conference saw Israeli journalists clash with Ireland soccer’s communications manager, Kieran Crowley. Crowley, aiming to focus discussions on soccer, opposed a question on racism allegations against Irish players, stating, “That’s completely untrue,” before the conference ended shortly.
The tension surrounding these matches highlights the complex relationship between sports and politics on the international stage.
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