Szoboszlai opens up in a painful interview after Ireland’s surprise victory over Hungary

The atmosphere in Budapest delivered a result few could have predicted, as one of Liverpool’s main creative forces endured a crushing night that now impacts his return to Merseyside.

Hungary’s 3–2 loss to the Republic of Ireland confirmed their exit from World Cup contention, leaving Dominik Szoboszlai in tears once the match concluded.

According to Nemzeti Sport, the 25-year-old gave only a very short interview to M4 Sport, replying “A lot” when asked how much the defeat hurt.

When pressed on whether football can really be this cruel, he responded: “It seems so, yes.”

Szoboszlai’s reaction reflects frustration for Liverpool’s playmaker

His emotional response comes just days after Hungarian media praised his decisive showing in a previous qualifier against Armenia, describing him as “quick and agile from the opening whistle” and highlighting the sprint he won before setting up the decisive goal.

That same burden of responsibility was evident again in Budapest, but the heartbreak will now dominate the narrative as he re-joins Arne Slot’s squad ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Nottingham Forest at Anfield.

Liverpool must help Szoboszlai recover from painful World Cup setback

This disappointment follows a demanding stretch in which Hungary’s captain carried significant weight for his national team.

It also adds to the difficult mood around Liverpool’s camp after their heavy 3–0 defeat to Manchester City — a match in which the defending champions failed to record a shot on target until the 76th minute.

All of this makes it even more important for Liverpool to carefully manage Szoboszlai’s mindset as he returns from a brutal and emotionally draining qualifying campaign.

His immediate reaction laid bare just how much the failure meant to him, and the focus now turns to how quickly he can reset and respond at club level.