World football gossip circles have gained momentum following a stunning on-pitch incident between two rival forwards following Thursday night’s World Cup opener between Australia and Ireland.
Video footage shows Irish striker Ruesha Littlejohn clearly refusing to shake hands with Aussie star Caitlin Foord just before kick-off in what is a highly unusual disgust in football.
Eyewitnesses say tensions were so high that Littlejohn appeared to make an attempt to approach Foord while the sides were still on the field after the game, only to be physically restrained by several of her teammates.
Now rumors are circulating about what motivated the Irish striker’s bizarre behaviour, with fans speculating it could have something to do with Littlejohn’s recent split from longtime partner and Irish captain Katie McCabe.
Littlejohn and McCabe, one of Ireland’s glamorous football couples, split after just over seven years together, with McCabe confirming the split during an interview with Britain’s Players Tribune shortly before the World Cup.
Footage shows Ruesha Littlejohn completely ignoring Foord in the handshake procession for Ireland’s 1-0 defeat to the Matildas on Thursday night
Pictured is Cailtin Foord facing Littlejohn during the team’s opening match of the World Cup
It is clear that McCabe and Foord, who both play for UK Premier League powerhouse Arsenal, are close friends and recently took a holiday to Ibiza with a large group of friends.
Foord also recently went single after splitting from Swiss midfielder and Arsenal teammate Lia Walti.
Daily Mail Australia does not conclude that Foord had anything to do with the breakdown of Littlejohn and McCabe’s relationship.
Footage of the “empty” handshake has garnered thousands of views on TikTok, with comments about Littlejohn blatantly skipping Foord’s outstretched hand.
‘It’s clear now [sic] that there is drama between Katie, Reusha and Caitlin’, one Tik Tok user wrote.
“Ruesha that’s too personal,” another wrote.
Foord, contacted through her management, declined to comment on the incident.
However, Matilda insiders have maintained that Foord and McCabe are just good friends and that their friendship had no bearing on McCabe’s breakup with Littlejohn.
Foord led the Matildas onto the field in the absence of injured skipper Sam Kerr and was snubbed by Littlejohn soon after
Ireland captain Katie McCabe recently confirmed her split from teammate Littlejohn
McCabe is seen shaking hands with injured Aussie skipper Sam Kerr after the defeat
“Obviously there is still some tension from Littlejohn’s side of things, which seems to be spilling over a bit on Thursday night,” a source close to the team told the Daily Mail Australia.
Caitlin and Katie are good friends.
They play together for Arsenal. They spend a lot of time together. But that’s all there is.’
News of Littlejohn and McCabe’s split recently made headlines in Ireland, with McCabe referring to Littlejohn in an interview in the past tense as “my partner at the time,” a clear sign that they are no longer together.
Littlejohn and McCabe seen here in January 2023 – several months before they split
Foord and McCabe are close friends and teammates of British football superpower Arsenal
Foord (left) and McCabe are said to be part of a close circle of friends in England
Until recently, Foord was in a relationship with fellow Arsenal teammate and Swiss international Lia Walti (pictured)
It is believed that the interview was given just two days before the World Cup.
In the piece, McCabe describes how she was taken under the wing of Irish legend Emma Byrne when she signed for Arsenal in late 2015.
After just over a year with the North London side, then Ireland manager Colin Bell phoned Katie to tell her he was appointing the Arsenal star as captain.
“And a little over a year later, in July 2017, things got even crazier,” McCabe said.
“I was traveling to Coney Island, Northern Ireland, with Ruesha, my partner at the time, and her family. At one point I looked at my phone and saw that I had a missed call from Colin Bell, the Ireland coach.’
The couple started dating around 2016 and went public with their relationship in 2019. Both McCabe and Littlejohn have campaigned together to help young people struggling with their sexuality.
Happier times: McCabe (L) and Littlejohn during their seven-year relationship
The couple is seen here after the FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off match in October 2022