Eyal Berkovic Recounts Antisemitic Abuse in Football Dressing Rooms

Former Israeli football player Eyal Berkovic recounted experiencing antisemitic abuse from Muslim teammates during his time at Manchester City in the late 1990s. Speaking on Israel's Channel 13, Berkovic described the intense political climate during that period, marked by terrorist attacks, which spilled over into the locker room.

Berkovic, who was the only Jewish player on the team, stated that he would often argue with his Muslim teammates, who he claimed blamed Jewish people for the attacks. He recalled incidents where he was told that specific terrorist events, like the Park Hotel bombing, were the fault of "us" (referring to Jewish people). Berkovic also mentioned that his coach at the time, Kevin Keegan, was aligned with the Muslim players, exacerbating the situation.

He further elaborated on the on-field dynamics, noting that he would compete for a position with a star player who was often benched. Berkovic also drew a parallel to his experience at Celtic, a Scottish club with a large Irish fanbase, suggesting that this animosity towards Israel is why many Celtic fans dislike the country. He recalled a specific Irish coach at Celtic who also harbored negative feelings towards Israelis.