The England footballers knelt before their UEFA League of Nations match against Hungary. Michael Regan / Getty Images
England were booed when they fell to their knees before the start of Saturday’s League of Nations match against Hungary – from a stadium full of mostly children.
The match in Budapest was technically a match “behind closed doors” after UEFA sanctions issued after anti-gay and racist chants by Hungarian fans during their three matches in the group stage of Euro 2020.
However, Article 73 of UEFA’s disciplinary provisions states that certain exceptions may be made, including “children under the age of 14 (duly accompanied) by schools and / or football academies”.
With one adult accompanying every 10 children, he was estimated at 35,000 at the Pushkash Arena, many of whom mocked England players as they made their usual gesture against discrimination before the game.
“It is difficult to understand how this corresponds to the decision,” said England manager Gareth Southgate when asked about the reaction after Hungary’s 1-0 victory. “From the point of view of development, I want and need the team to play in front of supporters. But of course, this is not the point in this case. So I’m torn by what we actually got out of this and what reality should be. I think that no doubt needs some attention.
“In fact, the atmosphere when we arrived at the stadium, there were children lined up on the streets, it was really friendly. They waved as we went out to warm up. I thought there was something like a pantomime of whistles when our team came out. for heating. It was different with taking the knee, but it seemed inherited thinking. What I would say is that I still hear it in our stadiums. That’s why we are doing it and we continue to take that position and we will continue to do that as a team. “
Part of UEFA’s penalty – which was reduced from a three-match ban to two matches with one suspended for two years and a € 100,000 fine – was to show anti-racist messages on the pitch.
UEFA’s “Respect” banner with the hashtag Equal Game was displayed above a message in Hungarian – “A gyulolet nem palya”, which can be translated as “racism is not a field of play” – and a secondary hashtag, #csakegyutt, which means #self .
In the program of the match, the President of the Hungarian Football Federation, Dr. Chany Sándor, wrote: of racism and hatred.
“We will do everything possible to keep our passionate support, but to eliminate any unsportsmanlike behavior from the stadiums, so that in the future we can hold every important match in front of an audience with unlimited capacity.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s match, Southgate said he was “surprised” by the number of fans expected to attend the match behind closed doors, adding: “The key is education. The young people at the stadium hope to understand this message tomorrow.”
However, whistles and taunts were heard clearly when the players grabbed their knees as the vuvuzelas made a constant noise in a match that ended at halftime at 0-0.
England are also inviting students to Moline’s home game against Italy next weekend, a penalty stemming from the public’s troubles caused before the Euro 2020 final between the two countries last summer, but the Football Association is believed to have requested only between 2,000 and 3,000 supporters.
England have been banned from two matches at the stadium, with one match suspended for two years and sentenced to a £ 84,560 fine after ticketless fans clashed with security and police.
Separately, Hungary was banned from two matches at the stadium, with one match suspended for two years and a fan of 200,000 Swiss francs from FIFA for racist chanting during England’s last visit to Budapest – qualifying for the World Cup in September, which ended with a 4-0 victory for the Southgate country.
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