Israel Football Team Aims for Pride in Nations League Clash
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's football team aims for pride in upcoming match against Ireland.
- The game will be played in Serbia without spectators due to protests.
- Coach Ben Shimon acknowledged past disappointment and stressed improvement.
- Player Feingold highlighted the game's importance for securing points.
- Israeli spokesperson defended pride in the military as non-political.
Ahead of their Nations League match against Ireland, Israeli coach Ran Ben Shimon stated his team's goal is to make Israelis proud, acknowledging their previous disappointing performance. The upcoming game, originally scheduled for Dublin, will be played in Topola, Serbia, without spectators due to protests against matches with Israel. Israel currently has only one point after three games, following a 0-0 draw with Kosovo. After a significant 3-0 loss to Ireland in their first encounter, the Israeli team seeks a strong showing to maintain hopes of finishing in the top two of their group and to offer fans a "worthy sporting revenge."
Ben Shimon emphasized the need to improve many aspects of their play and to match Ireland's intensity and aggression. He stressed that the team is good and high-quality, and they will demonstrate what they learned from the previous match. Regarding the Irish coach's comments about Israel seeking revenge, Ben Shimon stated his focus is on optimal preparation and ensuring players are solely concentrated on the game itself.
Ben Shimon firmly rejected any political involvement, asserting that no politics interest him and he does not use political elements to motivate his players. Player Ilai Feingold echoed the importance of the match, stating the team needs to perform well to secure points. During the press conference, an Irish journalist questioned the Israeli team's stance on not mixing politics with sports, referencing Israeli fans' support for the IDF during a recent match. Shlomi Barzel, head of the association's spokesperson unit, responded by asking if there is any country where citizens don't take pride in their defending army, stating that pride in the Israeli military is not political.
Protests in Ireland against matches with Israel have continued, including during a recent game against Austria where tennis balls with Palestinian flags were thrown onto the field, and a pitch invader caused a four-minute stoppage.
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