Playing small-sided games on a weekly basis, Matze Ballers are a predominantly Jewish team, including playing captains Daniel Endzweig from Germany and Marc Winkelbauer from Austria, as well a player from France.
Warwick JSoc president Angus Taylor said: “It’s great to have football to take our mind off university politics and we’ve exceeded expectations with a team of fantastic players.”
Last month, Warwick University decided not to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, a decision Taylor described as “deeply disappointing”.
But he believes the success of the team has helped. “We’re a small Jewish community and we study in a safe environment,” he said.
“People sometimes have a negative perception of being Jewish at Warwick but this shows them we enjoy ourselves most of the time.
“Warwick is a fantastic place to be a Jewish student and this is an example of the Jewish community flourishing at university.”
Looking ahead to the next round of matches, Taylor said: “The Champions League will be more competitive and we’re hoping to go all the way and bring the trophy home for the Jewish community of Warwick.”
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