Since Brussels couldn’t guarantee security, Hungary stepped in once again
The Israeli national football team is holding its Nations League matches in Hungary. In the opening round, they faced Belgium in Debrecen—ending in a 1-3 defeat—though the Belgians were the home team. The reason? Brussels, the capital of the EU and NATO headquarters, could not guarantee the safety of the Israeli players.
In another match where Israel played as the home team, they faced the 2021 European champions, Italy, at Budapest’s Bozsik Arena. While one side of the stadium was closed, the opposite stand was filled with Israeli supporters. One of them told the Hungarian media that they came with their partner not only for their love of football, especially for the national team, but because they were captivated by Budapest. Another fan added that they’d been living in the Hungarian capital for over a year and were so enchanted by it that they plan to stay longer.
Behind one of the goals, the Italian supporters took their place. They greeted the Israeli national anthem with sporadic whistles, and some even turned their backs on the field, though they didn’t make much noise during the game. Opposite them sat neutral spectators, among whom many Hungarians had also taken their seats.
The match ended without any incidents, with a 3-1 victory for Italy.
Once again, Budapest successfully hosted the event, and even received top marks for organizing a sporting event. Meanwhile, Israeli journalists on the press stands voiced their disbelief, wondering what kind of world we live in where one of Western Europe’s major cities can’t guarantee the safety of the Israeli national team and its supporters.
Translated and edited by L. Earth
