Jason Knight has publicly declared he does not want the Republic of Ireland to play Israel in the match scheduled for Sunday, becoming the first member of the Ireland squad to take that position in public.
The midfielder’s stance was made public ahead of the fixture, and represents the first known on-record opposition from a player in the Ireland setup to the game going ahead. The match remains scheduled for Sunday as discussions and reactions continue.
Knight’s statement is likely to draw attention from supporters, officials and the wider football community as stakeholders consider how to respond. To date, no other Republic of Ireland players have publicly expressed opposition to the fixture.
Further developments are expected as governing bodies, team management and supporters assess the situation in the run-up to Sunday’s game.