Hungary fans boo England team for taking the knee during Nations League fixture on Saturday evening
Hungary crowd BOO England taking the knee before Nations League clash in Budapest with mostly children present due to loophole after fans were banned – with Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate adamant jeers show squad have duty ‘to try to educate people’
Hungary booed England for taking the knee during their Nations League fixtureHungary have been disciplined by both FIFA and UEFA for racist behaviour Around 40,000 spectators were then allowed inside the Puskas Arena for matchGareth Southgate was surprised by the sheer volume of fans allowed in standsHe later said the boos highlighted exactly why his side continue to take a knee Click here for all the latest World Cup 2022 news and updates
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Hungary fans booed the England team for taking the knee during their Nations League fixture on Saturday night.
Hungary were hosting England in what was officially a behind-closed-doors match after being disciplined by both FIFA and UEFA for repeated racist behaviour, including during England’s previous visit to Budapest last September.
However, the Hungarian FA said last month children could attend the match at the Puskas Arena in the capital.
Under Article 73 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, children up to the age of 14 from schools and/or football academies can be invited to a game free of charge, provided they are accompanied by an adult.
It meant around 40,000 were able to attend on Saturday, mostly children, and after the national anthems, the England players took a knee prior to kick off, with boos audible from the stands.
‘The first thing is that’s why we do it [take the knee], to try to educate people around the world,’ Southgate said following a 1-0 defeat in Budapest.
‘I have no idea why people would choose to boo that gesture. I think very often, young people especially, they can’t know why they’re doing it so they’re being influenced by older adults.’
Asked if he felt having fans in attendance at all was fair given the bans levelled against Hungary, Southgate put the onus on UEFA to specify their guidelines.
Hungary fans booed the England team for taking the knee during their Nations League fixture
Around 40,000 spectators were able to attend on Saturday, mostly children, in Budapest
Harry Kane (left) and Mason Mount take the knee before kick-off but boos could be heard
England boss Gareth Southgate said that the boos proved why his side continue to take a knee, hopeful that they can educate younger supporters
‘The UEFA decision is for other people to decide. We’ve made our stand as a team, everybody knows what we believe and what we stand for.
‘Tonight’s a night where I’ve got to focus on the football. When you lose you can’t be talking too much about other areas because I think that would be a lack of responsibility for the result.’
Speaking on Friday, Southgate had said he was ‘surprised’ so many spectators were being allowed to attend.
Southgate revealed England would also take advantage of the loophole themselves when they face Italy behind closed doors at Molineux on June 11.
The Three Lions have been punished for the unrest at the Euro 2020 final, when the two countries met at Wembley.
‘We’ve shown how we feel about these issues, in terms of racism and it’s unacceptability,’ the Three Lions boss said.
‘Hopefully the young people in the stadium will recognise why this opportunity has happened and in some ways maybe this will be part of the education for the next generation.
‘Each generation that passes will bring more tolerance and we have the same situation in our country, so we’ve got to keep setting the right example.
England faced Hungary in the Nations League in Budapest on Saturday and lost 1-0
‘All being well, the young people will enjoy the game and take a bigger message from it.’
Southgate admitted allowing children and their guardians inside stadiums that are supposed to be closed as a result of fan behaviour was a ‘grey area’.
‘We are inviting children into Molineux as well,’ he added. ‘Players want to play in front of full stadia, but whether that is appropriate is for UEFA to decide.’
As it stands, UEFA have issued no comment on the booing in Hungary. The hosts came out 1-0 winners.
England players were targeted by racist abuse from the stands during their World Cup qualifier against Hungary last year – after fears the game could be abandoned if it was marred by ugly scenes.
England players were targeted by racist abuse from the stands during their World Cup qualifier against Hungary last year – Raheem Sterling and his team-mates were pelted with plastic cups
Both Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham were the subjects of monkey chants aimed from the home support behind home goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi’s goal in the second half.
Sterling and his team-mates were also pelted with plastic cups after the Manchester City striker celebrated his opener in the second half at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium.
The match had been placed on a ‘red list’ by FIFA due to a high risk of racist and homophobic abuse following conduct by Hungary supporters during their Euro 2020 campaign last summer, which saw the team handed a three-match stadium ban by UEFA after incidents against France and Portugal.
The third game of the ban is suspended for a probationary period of two years, with Hungary also instructed to display a banner promoting equality at future matches.
England duo Jadon Sancho (L) and Marcus Rashford (R) were among the players targeted by vile messages after missing penalties in the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy
In addition, the Hungarian Football Federation was given a £85,500 fine for the number of fan infringements.
However, Hungary were able to play in front of 67,000 spectators at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium in Budapest against the Three Lions because they were playing in a competition run by FIFA.
It was not the first time England players had been racially abused in relation to an international game. The team famously threatened to walk off the pitch during a clash against Montenegro in 2019 following persistent vile chanting aimed at Sterling and Danny Rose.
And after their Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy on penalties, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were all sent racist messages on social media after missing crucial spot-kicks.
