The Spanish league team that supports Ireland before the match against Israel

Real Betis posted a message of support for the Irish national team ahead of the Nations League match against Israel, sparking speculation online about whether it was a political protest or a tribute to the club's Irish striker Troy Parrott. This comes amid calls in Ireland to boycott the match due to the war in Gaza.

Real Betis, the Spanish top-flight club, published a post on its official X account in English supporting the Irish national team ahead of the Nations League match against Israel. The post read: "We know who we'll be supporting in the upcoming international break" alongside a picture of the Irish national team shirt. The move sparked mixed reactions online, with some wondering if it was a political protest against Israel against the backdrop of the war in Gaza, or a tribute to the club's striker Troy Parrott, an Irish player who joined the team this summer and has been excelling. In the background, there are calls in Ireland to boycott the match against Israel due to "the crimes in Gaza," and the Irish national team coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson, said: "We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide." The Irish Football Association ruled out the possibility of a boycott due to expected sanctions.