{"id":785596,"date":"2026-09-28T19:44:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T19:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/785596\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T19:44:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T19:44:13","slug":"israel-captain-stokes-feud-by-saying-our-country-is-10-times-better-than-ireland-nations-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/785596\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel captain stokes feud by saying \u2018our country is 10 times better than Ireland\u2019 | Nations League"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manor Solomon claimed Israel was \u201c10 times better\u201d than Ireland as fallout intensified from their Nations League<\/a> match and stated bluntly: \u201cThey hate us and we don\u2019t like them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Players in the Republic of Ireland<\/a> side stared at the ground during Israel\u2019s anthem and their staff faced away from the pitch. Ireland\u2019s players also chose not to shake hands or exchange pennants with their opponents in protest at Israeli military actions in Gaza which have killed tens of thousands of people.<\/p>\n

Solomon, who plays for West Ham, told Israel\u2019s Sport 5 channel: \u201cIf I say what I think about them I\u2019ll probably be banned for a few games, so I don\u2019t want to say what I think about them. Obviously they hate us and we don\u2019t like them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Republic of Ireland captain Dara O\u2019Shea (left) turns away from Israel captain Manor Solomon before kick-off. Photograph: Attila Kisbenedek\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Ireland won the game 3-0<\/a> in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday and the return next Sunday will also be played on neutral territory, in Serbia. \u201cI\u2019m already looking forward to the next game against them,\u201d Solomon, Israel\u2019s captain, said.<\/p>\n

Pressed on Ireland\u2019s behaviour during Israel\u2019s anthem, he said: \u201cThey don\u2019t interest me. We have a country 10 times better than theirs, stronger than theirs. We have an amazing country with amazing people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re proud to wear the national team\u2019s uniform and to be Israelis; proud of our country and our soldiers. And they can pull all the stunts they want and do whatever they want. We are Israelis, we love our country \u2013 and that\u2019s how it will always be.\u201d<\/p>\n

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