Ireland coach's press conference turns into a heated exchange with Israeli journalists before the match
The press conference of Ireland national team coach Heimir Hallgrímsson turned into a heated exchange with Israeli journalists before the UEFA Nations League match. The journalists asked political questions about the 'Flydubai' incident and accused Irish players of directing racist slurs, which the team management denied. The conference ended early after the media officer intervened.
The press conference of Icelandic coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, head coach of the Ireland national football team, on Saturday, October 3, 2026, before the match against the 'Israel' national team in the UEFA Nations League in Serbia, turned into a heated exchange with Israeli journalists. Tensions began when an Israeli journalist asked a question about the 'Flydubai' flight incident, accusing those supported by the coach that 'their ideology is built on killing.' The media officer interrupted the question, and then the journalist inquired about the absence of player Finn Azaz. Another Israeli journalist intervened, accusing Irish players of directing racist slurs and describing their counterparts as 'monkeys,' which the Irish media officer rejected, calling it 'untrue statements.' The conference ended early, and the coach continued his meeting with Irish media in a separate session. These developments come amid tense atmospheres after the match was moved from Dublin to Serbia for fear of protests over the war on Gaza, and following Ireland's 3-0 victory in the previous match, during which players wore black armbands.