Dominik Szoboszlai reveals truth behind hand gesture after World Cup controversy

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Dominik Szoboszlai has responded to online criticism following Hungary’s heartbreaking World Cup qualifier defeat to the Republic of Ireland, with the Liverpool midfielder insisting a gesture he made during the game was not directed at his opponents. Szoboszlai and his Reds teammate Milos Kerkez had their dream of reaching next year’s tournament dashed in the most dramatic of circumstances in Budapest on Sunday, with Troy Parrott completing a hat-trick deep into stoppage time to secure Ireland a place in the play-offs at Hungary’s expense.

That celebration has been the subject of much discourse on social media after Hungary’s defeat, with some fans accusing Szoboszlai of goading the Irish team or its supporters. Fans have been comparing the two incidents, with some even sharing AI-manipulated images of Szoboszlai mimicking Ronaldo’s gesture.

Learn more In an interview with Hungarian outlet Blikk though, Szoboszlai has rebuffed suggestions that he aimed his gesture at the Irish team or fans. “If it was meant for the Irish, I would tell them.” Indeed, videos have since been shared online showing that Szoboszlai had been looking toward his own bench when he made the gesture.