Roy Keane refused to shake hands with Mark Clattenburg at World Cup in Qatar

Roy Keane has explained why he refused to shake Mark Clattenburg's hand when the pair bumped into each other at the 2022 World Cup.

The former Manchester United captain, who has become a regular fixture on our screens in his role as a pundit, was working for UK broadcaster ITV in Qatar alongside the likes of Gary Neville and Graeme Souness.

Keane memorably flew home halfway though the competition because the pundits were, in his owns words, "getting on my nerves". He added at the time: "I had a break. I needed a break. My tolerance levels [were starting to go]."

As well as clashing with others pundits, the former Republic of Ireland midfielder recently revealed that he snubbed a handshake from former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, who has been in the headlines of late.

Clattenburg, a refereeing consultant at Nottingham Forest, criticised Anthony Taylor, Stuart Attwell and the rest of the refereeing team for their decision-making against Everton on Sunday.

Speaking on the latest episode of Stick To Football, brought to you by Sky Bet, fellow podcast guest Gary Neville brought up the incident involving Keane and Clattenburg.

Neville began by saying: "So basically, we're walking along this place in the World Cup, the three of us were having a chat and Mark Clattenburg walks towards us."

Keane then interjected, saying: "But he was strutting, wasn't he?"

After a few laughs, Neville added: "Right, he's worked with us at the previous World Cups as our refereeing consultant, we trained with him and got to know him a bit.

"So basically, we're walking along and I'm like 'Hi Mark, how are you?' and then Wrighty goes 'Mark, good to see you!' and then he [Keane] hangs back a few yards.

"And then he goes over to Roy to shake his hand and Roy goes [makes aggressive handshake motion]. No word of a lie! He threw his hand away and I'm like, 'What's going on here?! I know he's a bit feisty but...'

Image credit: Getty

Neville added: "You [Keane] carried on walking and we were left talking to him and I said, 'Ref, is there a problem?"

On refusing to shake Clattenburg's hand, Keane said: "He'd said something in a book after he worked with us."

Keane did not elaborate on the incident in question but back in 2017, Clattenburg admitted that the former United midfielder made him change his mind about a decision.

"Even in the Premier League, I still smile at the first time I came across Roy Keane," Clattenburg told NBC's Men in Blazers podcast.

"He screamed at us for a corner and I'm sure it was a goal kick but because he screamed at us so loudly, I gave a corner. I was that petrified of him."

Speaking on the Paddy Power's From the Horses Mouth podcast in 2020, Clattenburg gave a further insight into officiating games involving Keane.

"He used to shout and scream at you and sometimes you’d be like 'woah, what’s going on there?'

"Especially when I was a young referee, I was probably a little bit intimidated, but then the more I got to know him, you see a different side of him especially when he’s working as a pundit.

"When he was on the pitch, oh my god he was a player that you would never, ever trust because he would put a tackle in and as a referee, if you missed it, you were the one that got the blame - not Roy Keane for actually making the tackle."