Israel FA brands Republic of Ireland manager 'stupid' after his genocide remarks

Israel’s football association has publicly attacked Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, calling him ‘stupid’, ‘ignorant’ and ‘hypocritical’ after he described the upcoming Nations League fixture as playing ‘against genocide’.

Hallgrimsson made the remarks to reporters ahead of Saturday’s match in Debrecen, Hungary — a neutral venue used by Israel since 2023 due to ongoing security measures. ‘We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. So we’re playing against Israel. We’re not playing with Israel,’ the Iceland-born manager said. He added that his primary responsibility remained football, but acknowledged the difficulty of the situation.

Israel’s FA responded sharply on social media. ‘We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way,’ the statement read. ‘Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by the team coach. We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity — we’re playing against the coach who embodies them.’

The Nations League fixture is taking place in Hungary rather than Israel as part of security arrangements that have been in place since 2023. A return fixture between the two nations, originally scheduled to be held in Ireland, has also been relocated — to Serbia — and will be played behind closed doors.

Hallgrimsson had already reflected on the unusual nature of the build-up at a press conference the previous week. ‘There’s not a UEFA Pro Licence seminar that prepares you for something like this,’ he said. ‘We’re sat here 20, 30 minutes and we haven’t spoken a word about football. And this is a press conference on a squad playing four national games.’

The match comes amid sustained calls from some quarters for a boycott of fixtures involving Israel over the ongoing conflict in Gaza, adding further political weight to what is already a charged international encounter.