English Football Association to Honor Israeli, Palestinian Victims at Wembley Stadium

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup Final - Manchester City v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 3, 2023 General view inside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup Final - Manchester City v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 3, 2023 General view inside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo
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English Football Association to Honor Israeli, Palestinian Victims at Wembley Stadium

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup Final - Manchester City v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 3, 2023 General view inside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup Final - Manchester City v Manchester United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - June 3, 2023 General view inside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo

The English Football Association will pay tribute to the victims of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict when England hosts Australia in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium on Friday.

"On Friday evening, we will remember the innocent victims of the devastating events in Israel and Palestine," the FA said in a statement.

Plans, however, do not include lighting up the national stadium's iconic arch in the colors of Israel's flag, despite increasing calls to do so, it said.

The England and Australia teams will wear black armbands and observe a moment of silence before kick off.

“We stand for humanity and an end to the death, violence, fear and suffering,” the FA said.

The soccer body also said it would only permit “flags, replica kits and other representations of nationality” for the nations competing on Friday. The same rules will apply when England hosts Italy in a European Championship qualifier on Tuesday.
Wembley's arch has been lit up in the past in the colors of Ukraine's flag after it was invaded by Russia and in the colors of Brazil when soccer great Pele died.



Real Madrid’s Rudiger Rebuked by Germany’s Sporting Director Over Ice Incident in Copa del Rey 

Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona's Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona's Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
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Real Madrid’s Rudiger Rebuked by Germany’s Sporting Director Over Ice Incident in Copa del Rey 

Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona's Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)
Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger, left, challenges for the ball with Barcelona's Ferran Torres during the Spanish Copa del Rey final soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP)

Antonio Rudiger needs to show “class” and respect for others, German national team sporting director Rudi Voller has said, after the defender appeared to throw ice toward the referee during Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey loss to Barcelona.

Rudiger shouted at the referee and seemed to throw a small bag of ice during extra time in Madrid’s 3-2 loss to Barcelona on Saturday.

Rudiger has since apologized for his behavior, but the incident prompted former Germany player Dietmar Hamann to call Sunday for the defender to be left out of Germany’s squad for the Nations League final four in June.

“You can’t do that. And especially not as a player for the German national team. He needs to change that and he knows that himself, his public reaction shows that,” Voller told the dpa news agency in comments published Monday.

“Toni is a classy player, but as a player for the German national team he also needs to display class in his behavior. He rightly demands respect for himself (and) he needs to show this same respect to others without exception,” he added.

Voller’s comments did not address whether Rudiger’s conduct could have any impact on national team selection. He added he didn’t want Rudiger to tone down his emotional approach to the game.

“Toni is an excellent soccer player and a very emotional guy, a fighter on the field,” Voller said. “And he should stay that way.”

Germany plays Portugal in the Nations League semifinals in Munich on June 4.