A video is circulating showing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola refusing to shake hands with a man described by those sharing the content as “an Israeli leader”. In reality, Pep Guardiola did not ignore an Israeli leader. Let's see in detail.
For those in a hurry:
- A video is circulating showing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola refusing to shake hands with a man described by those sharing the content as “an Israeli leader”.
- In reality, the man is an English football manager: Alan Smith.
- So, Pep Guardiola did not ignore an Israeli leader.
Analyzes
Let's see a screenshot of one of the messages being checked (others here, here, here). The description reads:
Pep Guardiola refuses to shake hands with Israeli leader
The video shows Pep Guardiola walking along the stands of a stadium, shaking hands with several people in the row above him, except one, which has the Israeli flag superimposed. The footage is being shared to claim that the Manchester City manager made the gesture in light of the massacre carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas' attack on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023.
He is not an Israeli leader
However, the man ignored by Pep Guardiola is not an Israeli leader. As his colleague Arsenios Keklikoglu points out, the man ignored by Guardiola is Alan Smith, former manager of Crystal Palace and former striker for several top English teams – including Leicester City and Arsenal – between 1981 and 1995. The facts date back to August 2023. , while they also found space in the British press.
Conclusions
A video is circulating showing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola refusing to shake hands with a man described by those sharing the content as an Israeli leader. In reality, the man is an English football manager: Alan Smith. So, Pep Guardiola did not ignore an Israeli leader.
This article contributes to a Facebook Project to combat fake news and misinformation on its social platforms. Laws here for more information about our partnership with Facebook.