‘Dominik Szoboszlai is my neighbour and we’ve done our homework’ – Séamus Coleman on threats from unbeaten Hungary

And while the Hungary squad which pitches up in Dublin tonight for the first game in their build-up to Euro 2024 draws in players who play club football in 10 different countries (15 of them are with Hungarian or German clubs), it’s one name from England that stands out.

Callum Styles (Sunderland) and Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth) are in the panel but Irish players know from their own league battles that Hungarian captain Dominik Szoboszlai is one to watch and fear.

“Szoboszlai is my neighbour at Liverpool who is a very strong player and we’ve done our homework on him. We’ve been shown some clips and obviously he’s a very good player,” said Ireland captain Séamus Coleman.

“I’ve played against the left-back at Bournemouth as well who is a very attacking full-back who is difficult to play against. But 14 games unbeaten means they have quality all over the pitch as well so it’s going to be a tough game for us and a game that we’re really looking forward to as well.”

John O’Shea namechecked SC Freiburg attacker Roland Sallai when asked to identify the threat from the away side – and with 12 goals in his 47 games Sallai poses a danger but he’s also familiar with the man from Anfield.

“First and foremost, good organisation, good quality players when you think of Szoboszlai and Szalai, they’re good attacking threats,” O’Shea said when asked by a Hungarian reporter how Hungary had built up that impressive 14-game unbeaten run.

“The organisation of the team has been impressive but they have a freedom to play also that’s impressive and they have a … I didn’t want to say a hunger, but they have a desire to work really hard as a team, as a unit, you see them when they recover to get back in and defend. So look, any team at international level, you go on a run like they’ve been on, they’re doing something right.”