Sir, – I read on Tuesday September 22nd the death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza has reached just under 74,000 men, women and children including 1,400 since the supposed ceasefire in October 2025.
When the Republic of Ireland step out to play Israel at the Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary on September 27th, the officials at Uefa and the FAI should be reminded that this appalling death toll is the equivalent of the maximum capacity of Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
I recommend to members of these organisations, and to football supporters everywhere, next time they are in Old Trafford, to look around at the faces of every man, woman and child and remind themselves each represents a life lost to reckless barbarity in Gaza.
The Ireland Vs Israel matches could provide an opportunity, if people so wished, to place the photographs of some of the victims on each of the 20,000 seats of the Nagyerdei Stadion.
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It’s a shame the match is not being played in Old Trafford, as it could accommodate photographs of all 74,000. – Yours, etc,
TIM MACDOUGALD,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir,- Regarding the forthcoming fixture: there are surely ways of leaning into this difficulty that make more of a statement than a simple boycott.
What if, at kick-off, every Irish player simply sat down? Let the Israeli team run up and score – again, and again, and again. If the officials don’t abandon the game, let them run up a cricket score that will stand forever as the heaviest defeat in the sport’s history – albeit forever accompanied by a meaningful asterisk. – Yours, etc,
SEAN BOYLE,
George Town,
Malaysia.
Sir, – Those who equate the Israeli football team with the Israeli state, specifically the Netanyahu government, should remember that several Israeli Arabs are included in their panel for the upcoming match with Ireland, and may be in the starting team.
This is hardly surprising given that approximately 20 per cent of Israeli citizens are Arab, which community supplies many players to the Israeli league. Such details are an inconvenient truth for those who would like to ban all things Israeli, including their football team. – Yours, etc,
PIERCE O’SULLIVAN,
Glaslough,
Co Monaghan.
