Moylan's black‑armband kiss sparks debate after Ireland's Nations League win

Comments Sport Oisin Doherty reported at 20:56 on 27 Sep 2026 that Republic of Ireland forward Jack Moylan lifted his black armband and kissed it after netting the third goal against Israel in a Nations League match on Sunday evening at the Nagyerdei Stadion.

View 2 Images captured Moylan’s celebration, showing the armband raised high before the kiss on the Ireland badge.

Moylan's goal and tribute

The winger’s strike made it 3‑0, completing a rapid 12‑minute burst that saw Troy Parrott and Adam Idah score the opening two goals before the half‑hour mark. All three goals arrived within a breathless spell that left the opposition stunned. The third strike came in the 27th minute, sealing the lead before the half‑hour. It underscored Ireland’s dominance in the first half.

Pre‑match tensions and squad split

Before kick‑off, Ireland players declined to shake hands with their Israeli opponents at the Nagyerdei Stadion and bowed their heads as Israel’s national anthem played. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu later withdrew from the squad, citing the atrocities in Palestine where more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed since the October 7 Hamas attack.

"The squad were in Pristina yesterday. An extensive conversation took place where ultimately the consensus from the group was to travel to Hungary. That was something that we all entered into this window with our intention to fulfil these fixtures and that was the consensus that the group finished on at the end of that two‑hour meeting yesterday. This morning a player (now confirmed to be Bazunu) expressed their discomfort with fulfilling this fixture to the head coach and indicated their intent to withdraw from the squad. As you can understand, this new variable required time and deliberation for the rest of the squad to consider. What proceeded was another four hours of conversations, predominantly amongst the players themselves but also at times with the coaching staff and at times with the executive." – David Courell

After scoring, Moylan sprinted to the corner flag, removed his black armband – a symbol of solidarity with those lost in the Israel‑Palestine conflict – and planted a kiss on the Ireland badge. He later said, “It’s been tough on everyone. But I mostly feel for the players that just want to play football and are somewhere in between…”, expressing empathy for teammates caught between decisions and the desire to represent their country.

Despite the subdued celebrations, the Republic of Ireland presented a united front on Sunday, standing together after a turbulent few days that had divided opinions over playing the match. The subdued celebrations reflected the weight of the situation, yet the players remained committed to their performance.