Eyal Berkovich Recounts Antisemitism in Football Locker Rooms

Former Israeli football player Eyal Berkovich shared his experiences with antisemitism during his career, particularly during his time at Manchester City in the 1990s. Berkovich, who is Jewish, stated that during periods of heightened tension, such as after terrorist attacks, he was blamed by Muslim teammates for events like the Park Hotel bombing. He described frequent arguments in the locker room, where he was allegedly told that attacks were 'because of us.'

Berkovich recalled that at Manchester City, where he estimated at least 10 players were Muslim, he was the only Jewish player. He felt his coach, Kevin Keegan, sided with the Muslim players. Berkovich also mentioned that this experience contributed to his understanding of why Celtic, a club with many Irish fans, reportedly harbors animosity towards Israel, citing a former Irish coach at Celtic who he said 'hated us.'

Berkovich's comments came amid controversy surrounding the Irish national football team's match against Israel. He expressed that politics was the worst experience of his football career, contrasting it with the on-field competition where everyone aims to win. He also noted that on the field, he would sometimes compete for a position with a star player who was benched.