VIDEO: Szoboszlai sends strong message to journalists – but can a national team captain do this?

Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai delivered an unusually strong message to the Hungarian sports press at an official pre-match press conference, saying that if an article once again publishes what he considers false or unacceptable claims about him or his family, he will never speak to the journalist responsible again.

The statement immediately attracted attention, not least because it was not made in a social media post or a private interview. Szoboszlai was speaking in his official capacity as captain of the Hungarian national team at a formal media event.

So what happened – and can a national team captain simply decide that a particular journalist will no longer receive answers from him?

Szoboszlai had something to say before answering the first question

The exchange came after the first question at the press conference was put to Szoboszlai by a journalist from Hungarian sports daily Nemzeti Sport.

Before answering, however, the Liverpool midfielder made it clear that he wanted to address an issue of his own.

Szoboszlai said he had even considered whether he should answer the newspaper’s question at all.

He then explained what had prompted his frustration. Szoboszlai objected to situations in which material originally published in England is presented in Hungary in a way that, in his view, leaves him having to explain himself afterwards. He also criticised the publication of information about him that he considers untrue.

The Hungary captain then brought his family into the discussion. He said he deliberately tries to keep his relatives away from the public eye and is particularly sensitive about coverage that puts them in an uncomfortable position.

Then came the strongest part of his message.

Szoboszlai stressed that he did not mean it as a threat, but said that if something similar happened again concerning either himself or his family, he would “never speak” to the journalist responsible again.

A Steven Gerrard interview was part of the background

One of the incidents behind the dispute involved a conversation between Szoboszlai and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard asked the Hungarian whether the two could have played together at Liverpool. Szoboszlai jokingly replied by suggesting that he would play as the No. 10 and Gerrard as the No. 2.

Nemzeti Sport subsequently highlighted the remark in a headline. Szoboszlai objected publicly to how the exchange had been presented, and the newspaper later changed the headline.

At the press conference, the midfielder suggested that episodes of this kind can put him in an awkward position and force him to explain comments that were originally made in a different context.

But his remarks went beyond a disagreement over a single headline.

If you missed our report: Dominik Szoboszlai interview with Steven Gerrard: leadership, new head coach, and preferred position on the pitch

Szoboszlai also spoke about what he expects from the Hungarian press

The captain offered a broader assessment of the relationship between Hungarian athletes and journalists.

He argued that Hungarian sportspeople should be “pushed” and supported, particularly when a competition or match does not go well. He also emphasised the importance of maintaining a good relationship between athletes and the media.

In Szoboszlai’s view, just as footballers have a responsibility for what they say and how they perform, journalists also need to consider what they write and how they present it.

That raises a more complicated issue.

The role of journalism is not necessarily to support an athlete or present them positively. Sports journalists can celebrate outstanding performances and tell inspiring stories, but scrutiny and criticism are also fundamental parts of their job, provided reporting is accurate, fair and properly contextualised.

Positive coverage is therefore not something even the country’s most prominent footballer can automatically expect.

Protecting his family is a different matter

Another part of Szoboszlai’s argument should be considered separately.

The relatives of a famous athlete have not necessarily chosen to become public figures themselves. Playing for Liverpool and captaining Hungary does not automatically mean that every aspect of a footballer’s family life becomes legitimate material for public scrutiny.

Similarly, a player is perfectly entitled to object if he believes false information has been published about him, his comments have been mistranslated or his words have been presented in a misleading context.

But that still leaves another question: can the captain of a national team taking part in an official press conference decide which accredited journalists he will and will not answer in the future?

Can Szoboszlai actually refuse to speak to a journalist?

The distinction between choosing not to give someone a private interview and fulfilling official media duties is crucial.

Szoboszlai can, of course, decide that he does not want to voluntarily give a particular journalist a one-to-one interview in the future. A professional footballer does not have a general obligation to make himself available to every member of the press whenever requested.

Official UEFA media events are different.

UEFA competition regulations contain specific media obligations for participating teams. The 2026/27 UEFA Nations League regulations, for example, include requirements concerning press conferences, player availability, interviews and post-match media activities during the competition’s finals.

That means a personal dispute between a footballer and a journalist cannot automatically override the official media obligations applying to his team.

There is, however, an important qualification.

The publicly available UEFA provisions do not establish a simple blanket rule saying that a player sitting at a press conference must answer every question put to him by every accredited journalist. The regulations primarily set out obligations concerning media access and the availability of teams, coaches and players.

It would therefore be misleading to claim that Szoboszlai necessarily breached UEFA regulations simply by saying he would refuse to speak to a particular journalist in the future.

The answer is more nuanced.

Szoboszlai can choose not to grant a journalist private interviews. What he cannot unilaterally determine is which official media obligations the Hungarian national team will or will not fulfil at UEFA-regulated events.

And that is perhaps what makes the setting of his comments particularly significant.

Szoboszlai was not posting an angry Instagram story about a journalist he disliked. He was sitting behind the microphone at an official press conference as captain of the Hungarian national team. And when a captain speaks in that setting, he is representing more than himself.

Lastly, we would like to emphasise that we do not endorse false claims and, as a matter of editorial principle, we reject them.

If you missed it, watch here: Dominik Szoboszlai scores stunning Liverpool goal against Tottenham