Dominik Szoboszlai has insisted that his controversial celebration during Hungary's 3-2 defeat to the Republic of Ireland was not intended to mock the opposition, but was instead an inside joke between teammates. The Liverpool midfielder faced criticism after appearing to place his thumb on his nose in a teasing gesture following Barnabas Varga's 37th-minute goal, which put Hungary 2-1 ahead in their World Cup qualifying Group F clash at Puskas Arena.
Speaking to Hungarian newspaper Blikk, Szoboszlai explained: 'This is a joke between myself and my own teammates, Andras Schafer, Barnabas Varga and Peter Szappanos.' The gesture was widely condemned on social media, with former Ireland striker Kevin Doyle also seen calling Szoboszlai a 'Liverpool c***' while on punditry duty for RTE.
Despite Hungary's initial lead, Ireland fought back with Troy Parrott scoring a hat-trick, including a dramatic winner in the sixth minute of stoppage time, to keep their World Cup hopes alive. The result left Hungary's players devastated, but Szoboszlai urged his side to focus on the positives. 'It's still hard to accept what happened, but unfortunately you have to live with it and move on,' he said. 'There's definitely a reason why this always happens to us, but we try to take the positives out of even the most difficult times.'
Hungary's defeat means they miss out on a World Cup play-off place, while Ireland advance to the draw, which takes place later today. The play-offs will feature 16 teams, including 12 group-stage runners-up and four top-ranked UEFA Nations League section winners, with semi-finals scheduled for March 26 and the final on March 31.
