Metal bars with spikes, numerous cordon lines, 4 thousand police officers, armored vehicles of elite special forces – this is what football at the national team level looks like in Europe in the fall of 2024.
Football special operation
On November 14, at the Stade de France in Paris, in the Group 2 match of League A of the UEFA Nations League, the French team hosted the Israeli team. However, this event was more political than sporting in nature.
Problems due to the conflict in the Middle East were expected at the Olympics in Paris, but the security services there managed to ensure security measures. After which Europe apparently decided that the worst was over.
But the fighting in the Gaza Strip and the strikes on Lebanon have not stopped, as have pro-Palestinian actions in the countries of the Old World. UEFA officials, however, considered that the situation did not require the Israeli national team and clubs to be suspended from competitions “for security reasons.” They limited themselves to moving the Israelis’ home matches to neutral fields.
However, the massacre that happened in Amsterdam after the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi showed that there would be no calm at such meetings in European cities.
“Message of brotherhood and solidarity”
The Turkish authorities went even further – the Besiktas team was not allowed to play with Maccabi in the country. Turkish authorities have made it clear that they will not take responsibility for the consequences. As a result, the clubs will play on November 28 in Hungary without spectators. Moreover, Hungary was the only European country that decided to host this meeting.
The question of whether it was necessary to hold the France-Israel match in Paris under such conditions was acute. Moreover, the National Security Council of Israel directly stated to the citizens of the country that it does not recommend traveling to France.
However, the French President Emmanuel Macron made it clear that his country would host the game no matter what. He himself announced that he would attend the match to “send a message of brotherhood and solidarity after the intolerable acts of anti-Semitism that followed the match in Amsterdam.”
Compared to the usual game of the French national team, the number of security forces at the mast was tripled, not counting the involvement of special forces. In addition, special forces took protection of the Israeli delegation.
Disgusting game, few fans and fights in the stands
At the match itself, the public was prohibited from occupying the bottom seven rows, as well as from bringing any paraphernalia other than the symbols of Israel and France.
The result of increased security measures and a general heavy atmosphere was an anti-record for spectators. According to Le Figaro, 16,611 spectators attended the match, which is an extremely low figure for a national team match at the Stade de France.
The most striking event of the meeting was what happened in the 20th minute of the game… a fight in the stands. Right in front of Macron, who advocated “brotherhood and solidarity,” French and Israeli fans busily beat each other, despite all security measures. When they were taken away, it seems that everyone present dreamed of one thing – for all this to end as soon as possible.
“The public was right to ignore this match,” states Le Figaro, calling the state of French football players “collective lethargy.”
Hungary is the capital of sporting “neutrality”
As for the Israelis, their low level of skill did not allow them to show anything.
When the final whistle sounded, recording a goalless draw, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The game, which turned more into a political gesture, ended.
The Israelis now move to Hungary, where they will play Belgium. It is interesting that the first match, which was considered a home match for the Belgians, was also played in Hungary – because not a single Belgian city took up hosting the game “for security reasons.”
UEFA officials continue to successfully combine this whole circus with Israel with the removal of Russia, which was also motivated by “security reasons.” But, as you understand, this is different.
