Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai was booed during Hungary's 0-0 Nations League draw on Monday, as was international team-mate Milos Kerkez
Dominik Szoboszlai of Hungary reacts after the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Northern Ireland and Hungary at Windsor Park
Dominik Szoboszlai received a frosty reception as Hungary faced Northern Ireland(Image: Getty)
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Dominik Szoboszlai faced intense jeering throughout Hungary's Nations League match against Northern Ireland in Belfast. Local media even labelled the Reds star "big bad Dom."
Szoboszlai, who has scored three goals in seven games for Liverpool so far this season, jetted off on international duty for Hungary and began the break with a 1-0 defeat to Ukraine last week. The 25-year-old started a brawl in the Nations League Group B2 match following Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Nazarenko's red card.
Next up for Hungary was a trip to Belfast on Monday and the match was a cagey affair that ended 0-0. However, home supporters targeted the Hungarian players with boos, particularly Szoboszlai and club team-mate Milos Kerkez, which, according to a report in The Irish News, stemmed from their Liverpool connections.
The report suggested that it's customary at Windsor Park to jeer any opposing Reds stars who step onto the pitch. It even caricatured Szoboszlai negatively following a match in which the Northern Irish picked up four yellow cards, including one for Ethan Galbraith for a charging tackle on the Liverpool man.
It read: "Some traditions are worth preserving, even I'll admit. One of those is the relentless booing of Liverpool players, even before they do anything wrong.
Shea Charles of Northern Ireland runs with the ball under pressure from Dominik Szoboszlai of Hungary during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Northern Ireland and Hungary
Szoboszlai was relentlessly booed(Image: Getty)
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"Left-back Milos Kerkez got some early 'treatment' as Paddy Kelly put in an excellent first half on the NI right. Such was the hosts' superiority that when skipper Szoboszlai tried to get his Hungary team going, he had to drop back to the edge of his own box to receive the ball.
"He was more successful at riling the home support, with a series of complaints to the referee, so when the Anfield star went to take a corner at this Kop end the boos were deafening.
"Shea Charles took ball and man – that man being Szoboszlai – in a challenge midway through the second half. Szoboszlai leapt to his feet and waved his arms, almost 'geeing' up the gleeful home support, rather than the very vocal travelling contingent who were in the corner on that North Stand side."
Covering the second half, the report went on to say: "From the other flank 'big bad Dom' floated a cross-shot just high and wide of the angle of post and crossbar."
Hungary's defender #11 Milos Kerkez is thrown to the ground in a challenge during the UEFA Nations League, League B, Group 2 match between Northern Ireland and Hungary at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Kerkez was also targeted(Image: Getty)
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Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill was far from impressed with the conduct of several Hungary players. Speaking after the final whistle, he said: "I was disappointed with some of the Hungarian players' behaviour on the pitch, holding their faces and screaming.
"Really, there was no need for that. It was an honest, competitive game. We didn't need the nature of the simulation or the antics. We want that away and out of the game. That's why the referee has to speed the game up."
Szoboszlai and Kerkez's Hungary face Georgia next, before taking on Ukraine once more. They currently occupy fourth place in the group on a single point. Northern Ireland face Ukraine in Slovakia on Friday before meeting Georgia again. They sit second in the group with four points after defeating Georgia 1-0 in Tbilisi on Friday.