The Israel national football team has represented Israel in international association football since 1934, when it played its first official game (as Mandatory Palestine or Eretz Israel —"Land of Israel") against Egypt. [1] It is fielded by the Israel Football Association (IFA), which has governed football in the country since 1928, [2] and has borne its present name since the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948. Israel competed as a member of the Asian Football Confederation from 1956 until 1974, when it was expelled for political reasons; [2] it then played without formal affiliation to any regional bloc for two decades. In 1994 the IFA was made a full member of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), enabling the inclusion of Israeli teams in UEFA competitions. [2]
Since 1934, more than 491 players have appeared for the Israel national team; [3] those 111 with 20 or more caps are listed here. The Israel national team's only major honour is the AFC Asian Cup, which it hosted and won in 1964. [4] It has qualified for the FIFA World Cup final tournament once, in 1970, and for the Summer Olympic Games twice, in 1968 and in 1976. [4] [5] [6]
Israel's all-time top goalscorer is Mordechai Spiegler, who scored 33 international goals in 83 matches between 1963 and 1977. [7] [8] Yossi Benayoun, a midfielder, holds the record for the most national team appearances, having played for Israel 99 times between 1998 and 2017. [3] [9] The team's highest-capped goalkeeper, Dudu Aouate, represented Israel 78 times between 1999 and 2013. [10] The most-capped player of non-Jewish background is Bibras Natcho, who appeared for the Israeli squad 88 times between 2010 and 2023, scoring 4 goals. [11]
† | Still eligible for the national team [n 1] | ||
‡ | Played on the team that won the 1964 AFC Asian Cup | ||
GK | Goalkeeper | ||
---|---|---|---|
DF | Defender | ||
MF | Midfielder | ||
FW | Forward |
# | Name | Position | National team career | Caps | Goals | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Yossi Benayoun | MF | 1998–2017 | 102 | 24 | [9] |
2 | Tal Ben Haim | DF | 2002–2017 | 96 | 1 | [13] |
3 | Arik Benado | DF | 1995–2007 | 94 | 0 | [14] |
4 | Alon Harazi | DF | 1992–2006 | 89 | 2 | [15] |
5 | Bibras Natcho | MF | 2010–2023 | 88 | 4 | [11] |
6 | Amir Schelach | DF | 1992–2001 | 85 | 0 | [16] |
7 | Mordechai Spiegler ‡ | FW | 1963–1977 | 83 | 33 | [7] |
8 | Nir Klinger | MF | 1987–1997 | 83 | 2 | [17] |
9 | Avi Nimni | MF | 1992–2005 | 80 | 17 | [18] |
10 | Tal Banin | MF | 1990–2003 | 78 | 12 | [19] |
11 | Itzhak Shum | MF | 1969–1981 | 78 | 10 | [20] |
12 | Eyal Berkovic | MF | 1992–2004 | 78 | 9 | [21] |
13 | Dudu Aouate | GK | 1999–2013 | 78 | 0 | [10] |
14 | Walid Badir | DF | 1997–2007 | 74 | 12 | [22] |
15 | Eran Zahavi † | FW | 2010–present | 72 | 33 | [23] |
16} | Alon Hazan | MF | 1990–2000 | 72 | 5 | [24] |
17 | Gidi Damti | FW | 1971–1981 | 69 | 21 | [25] |
18 | Idan Tal | MF | 1998–2007 | 69 | 5 | [26] |
19 | Itzhak Vissoker ‡ | GK | 1963–1976 | 69 | 0 | [27] |
20 | Bonni Ginzburg | GK | 1984–1996 | 68 | 0 | [28] |
21 | Haim Revivo | MF | 1992–2003 | 67 | 15 | [29] |
22 | Avi Cohen | DF | 1976–1988 | 64 | 1 | [30] |
23 | Uri Malmilian | MF | 1975–1990 | 62 | 16 | [31] |
24 | Nahum Stelmach ‡ | FW | 1956–1968 | 61 | 22 | [32] |
25 | Ronny Rosenthal | FW | 1984–1997 | 60 | 11 | [33] |
26 | Eli Dasa † | DF | 2015–present | 60 | 0 | |
27 | Zvi Rosen | DF | 1968–1975 | 58 | 5 | [34] |
28 | Eitan Tibi † | DF | 2012–2021 | 57 | 1 | [35] |
29 | Menachem Bello | DF | 1965–1975 | 57 | 0 | [36] |
30 | Adoram Keisi | DF | 1994–2006 | 54 | 4 | [37] |
31 | Ronen Harazi | FW | 1992–1999 | 53 | 23 | [38] |
32 | Eli Ohana | FW | 1984–1997 | 51 | 17 | [39] |
33 | Haim Bar | DF | 1974–1983 | 51 | 1 | [40] |
34 | Nir Davidovich | GK | 1998–2010 | 51 | 0 | [41] |
35 | Yehoshua Feigenbaum | FW | 1966–1977 | 50 | 24 | [42] |
36 | Roby Young ‡ | MF | 1961–1969 | 50 | 8 | [43] |
37 | Shimon Gershon | DF | 1999–2008 | 50 | 4 | [44] |
38 | Moshe Sinai | MF | 1981–1990 | 47 | 7 | [45] |
39 | Beram Kayal | MF | 2008–2019 | 46 | 2 | [46] |
40 | Rachamim Talbi | FW | 1965–1973 | 45 | 10 | [47] |
41 | Giora Spiegel | MF | 1965–1980 | 44 | 18 | [48] |
42 | Ben Sahar † | FW | 2007–2019 | 44 | 8 | [49] |
43 | Shmuel Rosenthal | MF | 1965–1973 | 43 | 2 | [50] |
44 | Rafi Cohen | GK | 1992–2000 | 43 | 0 | [51] |
45 | Amatzia Levkovich ‡ | DF | 1957–1965 | 42 | 1 | [52] |
46 | Lior Refaelov | MF | 2007–2017 | 40 | 6 | [53] |
47 | Moanes Dabour | FW | 2014–2022 | 40 | 15 | |
48 | Vicky Peretz | FW | 1973–1983 | 40 | 14 | [54] |
49 | Nir Bitton † | MF | 2010–2022 | 39 | 2 | [55] |
50 | Ofir Marciano † | DF | 2014–2022 | 40 | 0 | |
51 | Felix Halfon | DF | 1992–1998 | 38 | 0 | [56] |
52 | David Primo ‡ | DF | 1964–1976 | 38 | 0 | [57] |
53 | Tomer Hemed † | DF | 2011–2018 | 38 | 18 | [58] |
54 | Elyaniv Barda † | FW | 2007–2016 | 38 | 12 | [59] |
55 | Alon Mizrahi | FW | 1992–2001 | 37 | 16 | [60] |
56 | Omer Golan | FW | 2004–2010 | 37 | 8 | [61] |
57 | Dor Peretz † | MF | 2015–present | 38 | 6 | |
58 | George Borba | MF | 1966–1973 | 37 | 7 | [62] |
59 | Yisha'ayahu Schwager | DF | 1966–1974 | 37 | 0 | [63] |
60 | Gal Alberman | MF | 2002–2013 | 36 | 1 | [64] |
61 | Gideon Tish ‡ | MF | 1958–1964 | 36 | 1 | [65] |
62 | Yehoshua Glazer | FW | 1949–1961 | 35 | 18 | [66] |
63 | Yossi Abukasis | MF | 1996–2003 | 35 | 3 | [67] |
64 | Shraga Bar | FW | 1968–1972 | 34 | 1 | [68] |
65 | Ran Ben Shimon | MF | 1992–1999 | 34 | 0 | [69] |
66 | Reuven Atar | MF | 1989–1997 | 33 | 3 | [70] |
67 | Rifaat Turk | MF | 1976–1986 | 33 | 3 | [71] |
68 | Avi Cohen | DF | 1987–1992 | 32 | 5 | [72] |
69 | Efraim Davidi | DF | 1983–1990 | 32 | 0 | [73] |
70 | Yoav Ziv | DF | 2006–2012 | 32 | 0 | [74] |
71 | Sheran Yeini | MF | 2013–2020 | 32 | 0 | |
72 | Itzik Zohar | MF | 1992–2000 | 31 | 9 | [75] |
73 | Yaniv Katan | FW | 2000–2009 | 31 | 5 | [76] |
74 | David Amsalem | DF | 1992–1999 | 31 | 0 | [77] |
75 | Ya'akov Hodorov | GK | 1949–1964 | 31 | 0 | [78] |
76 | Avraham Menchel | MF | 1959–1963 | 30 | 7 | [79] |
77 | Moshe Glam | DF | 1993–1997 | 30 | 2 | [80] |
78 | David Pizanti | DF | 1983–1989 | 30 | 0 | [81] |
79 | Pini Balili | FW | 2000–2007 | 29 | 7 | [82] |
80 | Ya'akov Ekhoiz | DF | 1980–1986 | 29 | 0 | [83] |
81 | Danny Shmulevich-Rom | FW | 1960–1970 | 29 | 0 | [84] |
82 | Zahi Armeli | FW | 1983–1986 | 28 | 10 | [85] |
83 | Tal Ben Haim † | FW | 2011–2018 | 28 | 5 | [86] |
84 | Dedi Ben Dayan | DF | 2000–2012 | 28 | 1 | [87] |
85 | Gili Vermouth | MF | 2009–2015 | 28 | 2 | [88] |
86 | Itay Shechter † | FW | 2009–2017 | 27 | 5 | [89] |
87 | Omri Afek | MF | 2002–2006 | 27 | 5 | [90] |
88 | Eli Driks | FW | 1987–1996 | 27 | 4 | [91] |
89 | Dekel Keinan † | DF | 2007–2013 | 27 | 0 | [92] |
90 | Yuval Spungin | DF | 2007–2014 | 27 | 0 | [93] |
91 | Yaron Oz | MF | 1973–1977 | 26 | 2 | [94] |
92 | Moshe Leon ‡ | DF | 1962–1977 | 26 | 1 | [95] |
93 | Rami Gershon † | DF | 2010–2017 | 26 | 2 | [96] |
94 | Maor Melikson | MF | 2010–2018 | 25 | 3 | [97] |
95 | Yosef Goldstein | MF | 1953–1961 | 25 | 1 | [98] |
96 | Eli Leventhal | MF | 1974–1977 | 25 | 1 | [99] |
97 | Klemi Saban | DF | 2004–2010 | 25 | 1 | [100] |
98 | Yehuda Amar | DF | 1987–1993 | 25 | 0 | [101] |
99 | Arie Haviv | GK | 1978–1985 | 25 | 0 | [102] |
100 | Gadi Brumer | DF | 1993–2002 | 24 | 2 | [103] |
101 | Shlomo Kirat | DF | 1978–1985 | 24 | 0 | [104] |
102 | Meir Nimni | DF | 1974–1977 | 24 | 0 | [105] |
103 | Moshe Schweitzer | MF | 1974–1977 | 23 | 8 | [106] |
104 | Shalom Tikva | FW | 1986–1994 | 23 | 6 | [107] |
105 | Maor Buzaglo | MF | 2007–2016 | 23 | 1 | [108] |
106 | Ofer Talker | DF | 1997–2001 | 23 | 1 | [109] |
107 | Haim Levin ‡ | GK | 1963–1969 | 22 | 0 | [110] |
108 | Roberto Colautti | FW | 2006–2010 | 21 | 6 | [111] |
109 | Jan Talesnikov | MF | 1998–2000 | 21 | 4 | [112] |
110 | Gad Machnes | DF | 1978–1985 | 21 | 1 | [113] |
111 | Tamir Cohen | MF | 2007–2011 | 21 | 0 | [114] |
112 | Omer Damari | FW | 2010–2016 | 20 | 9 | [115] |
113 | Michael Zandberg | MF | 2002–2007 | 20 | 4 | [116] |
114 | Eli Cohen | MF | 1983–1989 | 20 | 3 | [117] |
115 | Nir Alon | DF | 1988–1989 | 20 | 1 | [118] |
116 | Yaron Parselani | DF | 1983–1989 | 20 | 0 | [119] |
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value (help)'The greatest moment of my life,' proclaimed [Abbas] Suan of his role in the team's comeback, which he celebrated by literally wrapping himself in the Star of David flag. Then, four nights later in Tel Aviv—can you believe it!—an Arab saved Israel again. This time the team's other prominent Muslim, 31-year-old midfielder Walid Badir, headed home the equalizer in the dying minutes to salvage a 1–1 tie against mighty France, and the celebrations raged once more.; Brandes, Shimon (9 December 2010). "From rejection to a full partnership: Israeli Arabs in Israeli football" (in Hebrew). Netanya: Wingate Institute . Retrieved 3 June 2012.
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