Soccer

From jersey number drama and coaching staff backing to secret restaurant entrances and Dubai family ties, the Israeli midfielder has become an unexpected sensation in Turkey.

An upcoming soccer match between Israel and Ireland is sidelining sports, engaging in foul play instead in the form of biased, anti-Israel rhetoric.

Reports in Ireland indicate that Finn Azaz, whose mother is Israeli and who has publicly said that his grandmother served in the IDF, could retire from international soccer.

Ireland's players discussed the possibility of staging some form of protest before the match, but Early questioned what such a gesture would mean if they were going to take the field regardless.

There were no comparable gestures from the Irish soccer team for the Israelis massacred on October 7.

Ireland will play Sunday’s Nations League match against Israel following a squad vote, even as goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the team in protest.

The mayor of the Belgian city of Leuven, Mohamed Ridouani, decided that no Israeli team would play in the city's stadium because of security concerns.

Israel forward Saied Abu Farchi was shown a red card after celebrating his goal against Austria by using the corner flag to mimic a gun, leaving Israel with 10 players in a 3-1 Nations League defeat.

"This news is a reminder that the idea that Jewish people are not sporty is a myth laced with antisemitic tropes about Jewish physical weakness," Campaign Against Antisemitism said.

Ben Shimon said Israel’s objective in the Nations League is clear: challenge for the top two places while recognizing the competition’s importance as a pathway toward the European Championship.