Miloš Kerkez's collar grab on Victor Tsygankov during Ukraine vs Hungary in Budapest has moved well beyond football. Ukraine won 1-0 on September 25, and the incident has since fed a political row after Kerkez and his father Sebastijan were reportedly included in a list of enemies of Ukraine.

Hungary's intervention

Hungarian deputy prime minister and foreign minister Anita Orban said she strongly condemned the stigmatisation, any form of blacklisting, and any potential threats directed at Hungarian citizens Milos Kerkez and Balazs Hidveghi. Speaking to dailymail.com, she said she had been in constant consultation with Ukrainian government representatives, the Hungarian Football Federation, the embassy and her colleagues to try to resolve the situation.

Her comments show how quickly a match incident can spill into diplomacy when it is framed outside the touchline. Orban also said, "Sport should be about performance, community, and respect. I thank the two national associations for their cooperation."

Kerkez's defence and the football context

Kerkez has also given his side. "Personally, I have never supported and I do not support any aggression in my life," he told dailymail.com. "At the same time, there is always tension in a football match, and in the match against Ukraine, all I did was defend our captain, my friend, and I would have done this even if any other country had been our opponent."

The football context is still there, even if it now feels secondary. Kerkez was suspended for Hungary's 2-1 win in the reverse fixture on Monday night, and his Nations League numbers show he has been a regular part of the campaign with 3 appearances and 270 minutes this season.

His outing in Budapest was not a strong one either. Kerkez received a 5.98 rating in the 1-0 loss, while the political fallout kept building after the match.

The row now sits alongside the football result rather than inside it, with Kerkez still tied to the incident and the blacklisting claim from Budapest still drawing attention.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →