Irish World Cup handshake snub comes after ex’s bikini photo
We have some drama down under.
Ruesha Littlejohn, a star on Ireland’s Women’s World Cup team, declined to shake the hand of Australia’s Caitlin Foord after the two teams played each other in the group stage in Sydney on Thursday night.
It would not be long before a possible motive for the snub was discovered.
Prior to the Women’s World Cup, Ireland captain Katie McCabe confirmed to The Players Tribune that she and Littlejohn had split after more than seven years together.
McCabe and Foord, meanwhile, are teammates on Arsenal in the English Premier League’s women’s division.
The Daily Mail noted that the two were recently part of a bigger group of friends that traveled together for a vacation in Ibiza.
Foord is also single, having recently broken up with Lia Walti, a midfielder on Switzerland and Foord’s teammate on Arsenal.
Australia defeated Ireland 1-0 in the game.
Daily Mail said that it “does not infer that Foord had anything to do with the breakdown of Littlejohn and McCabe’s relationship.”
The outlet cited sources close to Team Australia that said Foord and McCabe are “simply good mates and their friendship had no bearing on McCabe’s break-up with Littlejohn.”
After the game concluded, Littlejohn confronted Foord on the field, and eyewitnesses told the outlet that Littlejohn had to be “restrained” by several of her teammates.
Ireland’s next group stage match is against Canada on Wednesday, while Australia kicks off against Nigeria on Thursday.