Balázs Borbély’s Post-Match Handshake Snub Sparks Debate After Ferencváros Defeat to Celtic is going viral
Celtic Park was supposed to be the stage for a European response. Instead, it became the scene of another painful night for Celtic — and one brief post-match moment involving Ferencváros boss Balázs Borbély has now become a talking point among supporters.
Ferencváros produced one of the biggest talking points of the opening Europa League round by leaving Glasgow with a stunning 3–1 victory over Celtic.
But while the scoreline was enough to dominate the headlines, attention quickly shifted towards the scenes immediately after the final whistle.
Borbély, whose Ferencváros side had just completed an impressive away victory, was involved in the customary post-match handshake with Celtic manager Martin O’Neill. Reuters imagery confirms that the two managers shook hands after the match.
Yet footage and screenshots circulating around the moment have triggered debate among football supporters, with some fans focusing on the body language, timing and brief nature of the exchange.
And that has created an entirely different conversation from the one Ferencváros probably expected.
Because on a night when Celtic were searching for answers, Borbély’s calm reaction after the final whistle became another visual reminder of just how dramatically the balance of the evening had shifted.
A night Celtic supporters wanted to forget
The pressure on Celtic was already considerable before kick-off.
Martin O’Neill’s team had suffered a 3–0 defeat to Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup just days earlier, leaving supporters desperate for a reaction in their Europa League opener.
Instead, Celtic endured another difficult evening.
Ferencváros took the lead in the 20th minute when Bamidele Yusuf’s effort deflected off Liam Scales and found the net.
Celtic managed to respond before half-time.
Mika Baur equalised in the 44th minute, briefly giving the home crowd renewed hope.
But that optimism lasted barely a minute.
Kristoffer Zachariassen restored Ferencváros’ advantage in first-half stoppage time, sending Celtic into the interval behind once again.
Then came the moment that changed the entire atmosphere.
Just two minutes after the restart, former Celtic forward Daniel Arzani produced a stunning strike from distance to make it 3–1.
Ferencváros had suddenly taken complete control.
According to RTÉ’s match report, Borbély’s side then comfortably maintained their advantage as Celtic struggled to produce a response.
The final whistle confirmed the result.
Celtic had lost at home.
Ferencváros had won in Glasgow.
And Borbély had masterminded one of the most eye-catching results of the opening round.
Then came the handshake
After the match, attention naturally turned towards the managers.
The traditional handshake between the two coaches took place.
But in the social-media age, even a few seconds of body language can become a story of its own.
Some supporters interpreted the interaction as unusually brief or emotionally cold.
Others argued that there was nothing unusual about it whatsoever.
And that distinction matters.
There is no reliable evidence that Borbély deliberately refused to shake O’Neill’s hand.
In fact, Reuters’ photographic record explicitly describes the image as Borbély shaking hands with O’Neill after the match.
So the debate is less about whether a handshake happened and more about how different viewers interpreted the moment.
That has not stopped the clip from attracting attention.
“Was there really a snub?”
That became the question circulating among supporters.
Some Celtic fans watching the footage believed the interaction looked uncomfortable.
Others pointed out that managers routinely exchange brief handshakes after matches and that there was no obvious evidence of hostility.
The contrasting interpretations quickly created two camps.
One side saw a victorious manager who appeared completely focused on his team’s achievement.
The other saw a moment that looked unusually restrained following what had been a painful Celtic defeat.
But football supporters are particularly sensitive to these moments.
A handshake between two managers can last only a second or two, yet screenshots can freeze the exact instant and create an entirely different impression.
That is precisely why the Borbély-O’Neill moment has generated discussion.
Borbély had already warned Celtic
Interestingly, Borbély had shown plenty of respect for Celtic before the match.
Speaking ahead of the game, the Ferencváros boss warned his players not to underestimate the Scottish side.
He also had a personal connection to Celtic’s history.
Borbély was part of the Artmedia Bratislava team involved in the extraordinary 2005 Champions League qualifying tie against Celtic, when Artmedia eventually progressed despite Celtic’s dramatic second-leg comeback.
So this was not simply another European fixture for him.
He knew the atmosphere.
He knew Celtic Park.
And he knew that Celtic could become dangerous if given opportunities.
His warning proved justified.
Ferencváros survived Celtic’s early pressure, grew into the contest and eventually produced the performance required to win.
“That looked pretty good”
After the match, Borbély was understandably delighted with his team’s performance.
Speaking to M4 Sport, he described the victory as something that “looked pretty good”, praising his players for showing relaxed, confident football and converting their opportunities into goals.
He also said Ferencváros deserved the victory.
That assessment was difficult to dispute based on the final scoreline.
Ferencváros scored three times at Celtic Park.
Celtic scored once.
The Hungarian side also recovered from Celtic’s equaliser almost immediately, showing the kind of composure that can be crucial in European football.
And that made the post-match images even more striking.
One manager had just overseen a memorable European away victory.
The other was left trying to explain another painful defeat.
Celtic’s problems go beyond one handshake
For Celtic supporters, the real issue is obviously much bigger than a few seconds after the final whistle.
The defeat followed the 3–0 loss to Rangers, meaning Celtic had suffered consecutive defeats in major matches.
O’Neill admitted afterwards that Celtic had been given a “European lesson” by Ferencváros.
The Celtic manager also faced questions over his team’s performance and decisions.
Meanwhile, captain Callum McGregor acknowledged the difficult mood around the squad, describing the team as “broken, nervy and awkward” in the aftermath of the defeat.
That context explains why supporters were scrutinising everything.
The performance.
The substitutions.
The goals conceded.
The body language.
The manager’s interviews.
And, eventually, the handshake.
When a team is winning, those small moments rarely attract much attention.
When a team is struggling, everything becomes magnified.
Ferencváros leave Glasgow with the bigger story
Whatever people make of the handshake debate, one thing is beyond dispute:
Ferencváros won the football match.
And they did so convincingly.
Yusuf put them ahead.
Baur temporarily brought Celtic level.
Zachariassen immediately restored the advantage.
Arzani then delivered the decisive blow.
By the end, Borbély’s players were celebrating a memorable 3–1 victory while Celtic were left to contemplate another difficult night.
That is ultimately the story that matters most.
The handshake may generate discussion.
The screenshots may circulate.
Fans may continue debating whether the interaction looked cold, awkward or completely normal.
But the scoreboard cannot be debated.
Ferencváros came to Celtic Park and won.
And now the pressure rises
The timing could hardly be more dramatic for Celtic.
After the Rangers defeat and the Europa League setback, attention immediately turns towards what comes next.
Celtic now have to respond on the pitch.
For Borbély, meanwhile, the victory represents a significant European statement.
He arrived at Celtic Park warning his players about the dangers of underestimating their opponents.
His team listened.
They absorbed Celtic’s pressure.
They responded to the equaliser.
They scored again before half-time.
And then they struck early in the second half to take control.
By full-time, the Hungarian side had produced the result they wanted.
So while social media continues to debate a few seconds of post-match body language, the bigger picture is much clearer.
Balázs Borbély left Glasgow with three goals, three points and a huge European night for Ferencváros.
And Celtic were left asking much bigger questions than what happened during a handshake.
Because after two heavy defeats in the space of a few days, the attention is no longer simply on one moment after the final whistle.
It is on what Celtic do next.