Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in a Nations League match in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday. The stadium was nearly empty. Irish players wore black armbands, bowed their heads during Israel's anthem, and skipped the handshakes. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, 24, didn't play. On Saturday morning he told manager Heimir Hallgrímsson he wouldn't take part in either match against Israel. The rest of the squad then voted twice to play. Reports put the margin at 14-8 or 15-7. UEFA, European soccer's governing body, says it can't investigate alleged monkey chants from Israeli fans aimed at Irish striker Adam Idah. An Irish player told officials about the chants, but he didn't call them racism. The officials didn't hear the chants themselves. The teams meet again behind closed doors in Serbia on October 4.

1. Bazunu Got It Right, and the Team Should Skip October 4 (Irish Sport for Palestine, Brian Kerr, James McClean)

Boycott backers say the squad never should have played, and they want it to sit out the rematch.

The team should never have taken the field. Irish Sport for Palestine, a campaign group, called Saturday's decision to play "a colossal failure by the FAI," the Football Association of Ireland, and said it showed the association's "lack of leadership and total incompetency." The group now wants the team to "do the right thing on the 4th Oct."

Plenty of Irish fans wanted a boycott too. About 140 Irish pubs refused to show the match, and a poll found 76% of Irish football supporters opposed playing it. Former Ireland manager Brian Kerr called Bazunu's choice "a heroic decision." Daniel Ennis, a member of the Irish parliament and a former player, said there was "widespread public revulsion" at the idea of the team lining up against Israel.

Some teammates have turned on Bazunu. Kerr said on Virgin Media Sport that Bazunu is "feeling quite low, and shunned by some of the players and the FAI." Irish Times reporter Gavin Cooney wrote that Bazunu "has been left brutally isolated." Former Ireland winger James McClean had warned that players who took the field would be "forever going to be tarred for not doing the right thing."

2. Playing Under Protest Was the Right Call (Heimir Hallgrímsson, David Courell, Paul Cooke)

The manager and the FAI say the players made their point on the field and kept Irish football out of trouble.

The players still got their message out. Hallgrímsson told RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster, that his players "have raised awareness worldwide, not only in Ireland" and said that's "normally the reason for protesting." The players are also giving their match fees to charity. The money from Thursday's home game against Austria will go to charity too.

Whatever the team did, someone was going to be angry. "There's nothing that we can do, there's no action that we can do that everybody will agree to, so we need to find the solution," Hallgrímsson said before the game. Later, he said, "I know we are making some people unhappy by playing. We are making others happy. I think winning probably pleases everyone."

The players made the call, and walking out risked UEFA punishment. FAI chief executive David Courell said a "significant majority" voted to play, though the vote was "far from unanimous." FAI president Paul Cooke said after the match that "the players are the ultimate" and that the association "handled the week quite well." He said it's still unclear what UEFA might do. He also said the FAI is "charged with what is good for Irish football and the future of Irish football."

3. Ireland's Gestures Were Hostile and Ignorant (Manor Solomon, Gideon Sa'ar, Israel Football Association)

Israeli players and officials say the protest came from hatred and ignorance, and they wanted the game played.

Israeli players say the Irish acted out of hatred. Israel captain Manor Solomon said, "Obviously they hate us. We don't like them." Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz said the Irish behavior "all stems from ignorance."

Ireland has a history of this. Before the match, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar pointed back to 1939. He wrote on X that Ireland's "unique talent for finding itself on the wrong side of history remains intact."

Israeli officials were glad the game happened at all. Israel Football Association communications chief Shlomi Barzel said "football has won" after the Irish squad voted to play. Losing 3-0 still hurt. Israel coach Ran Ben-Shimon said, "I'm ashamed of what I saw, but the responsibility is mine and not the players." The association is weighing whether to replace him.

Where This Lands

Boycott backers say Bazunu did the right thing and the squad should sit out October 4. The manager and the FAI say the players made their point with armbands and a win, without risking UEFA sanctions. Israel's captain, goalkeeper, and foreign minister call the protest hostile and ignorant. The squad plays Israel again in Serbia on October 4, and Bazunu has already said he won't be there.

Sources