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Dominik Szoboszlai could barely bring himself to speak after his World Cup dream was cruelly shattered following Hungary's dramatic defeat to the Republic of Ireland.
The Liverpool midfielder and his teammate Milos Kerkez were denied a place in the play-offs for next year's tournament in the most devastating of circumstances in Budapest, with the visitors scoring in stoppage time to steal second place in their qualifying group.
Both Szoboszlai and Kerkez had provided assists earlier in the game as Hungary looked set to cling on to a spot in the play-offs, even after Troy Parrott had brought the scores back level with just 10 minutes remaining. The former Tottenham forward though completed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time to send the Irish wild, and leave their hosts distraught.
Szoboszlai could be seen in tears after the game, with the Hungary captain unable to hide his emotions as he acknowledged supporters after the game.
And the emotions were clearly still raw as he spoke to host broadcaster M4 Sport afterward, with the Liverpool star only giving short responses during an awkward interview.
Szoboszlai was first asked by the interviewer how much his heart hurt following the defeat, to which he simply replied: "Very."
The 25-year-old was then asked whether the game could be analyzed in any way, to which he responded: "No."
The third question saw him asked whether soccer can be unfair at times, to which he replied: "It looks like it, yes."
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The defeat ends any hopes for Hungary of reaching next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the nation unable to secure a spot in the play-offs via the Nations League either.
But while Szoboszlai and Kerkez were left heartbroken, former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher celebrated with his teammates, having played a huge role in his side's sensational comeback.
The Republic of Ireland will find out who it faces in the play-offs on November 20, with semi-finals set to take place on March 26, 2026, and the final matches on March 31.
English (US) ·