Football(Hebrew:כַּדוּרֶגֶל,Kaduregel,lit. 'legball'), also known as soccer, is the most popularsport in Israel.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]Football as an organised sport, first developed in theUnited Kingdom,who controlledMandatory Palestineduring the days of theBritish Mandate.
| Football in Israel | |
|---|---|
 Teddy Stadium,home ofIsrael national football teamand two Israeli clubs | |
| Country | Israel |
| Governing body | Israel Football Association |
| National team(s) | Men's national team |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League Super Cup FIFA Club World Cup FIFA World Cup(National Team) European Championship(National Team) UEFA Nations League(National Team) | |
TheIsrael Football Associationjoined theAsian Football Confederationin 1954, but was expelled in 1974 due to political pressure from Arab and Muslim members in the context of theArab–Israeli conflict.In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Israel Football Association was not affiliated with any confederation. During this period, the Israeli national teams were only playing inFIFAcompetitions occasionally inOFC,UEFAandCONMEBOLqualifying tournaments. Finally, it was admitted toUEFAas an associate member in 1992 and as a full member in 1994, therefore their teams compete as part of Europe in all international competitions.
Israel Football Association
editTheIsrael Football Association(IFA) is the governing body of football in the State of Israel. All of Israel's professional football clubs must be members, and hundreds of semi-professional and amateur clubs also belong.[8][9]
League system
editAs of the 19-20 season, the Israeli football league system has five levels and 16 different divisions, all run by the IFA. Promotion and relegation operate between each level, allowing clubs to progress from bottom to top within four seasons.
Structure
editThe current structure of the Israeli league system is this:
- Israeli Premier League:the top division operates at the national level and has 14 member clubs
- Liga Leumit:the second division operates at the national level and has 16 member clubs
- Liga Alef:the third division is split into two regional leagues (north and south) and has 32 member clubs (16 in each division)
- Liga Bet:the fourth division is split into four regional leagues (two in the north, two in the south) and has 64 member clubs (16 in each division)
- Liga Gimel:the fifth division is split into eight regional leagues and has 114 member clubs (between 11 and 16 in each division)
Cups
editIn Israel, there are two major cup competitions: theState Cupand theToto Cup.
State Cup
editTheState Cup(Hebrew:גביע המדינה,Gvia HaMedina) is the Israeli equivalent of the EnglishFA Cup,and is open to all Israeli clubs, with clubs at the higher levels entering in the later rounds. It is a straightforward knock-out cup. The winner qualifies for theUEFA Europa Conference League.
Toto Cup
editTheToto Cup(Hebrew:גביע הטוטו,Gvia HaToto) is the Israeli equivalent of the EnglishLeague Cup,the main difference being that there is a separate cup for the top and second divisions. The cup is played first in a group stage, with the highest placed teams qualifying for the knock-out stages. The winner does not qualify for theUEFA Europa Conference League.
Title Holders
edit| Legend |
|---|
| Won all 3 titles in the same year |
| Won 2 titles in the same year |
Qualification for European competitions
editClubs who do well in either the Premier League or State Cup qualify to compete in variousUEFA-organised Europe-wide competitions in the following season (as well as continuing to play in domestic competitions). The number of Israeli clubs playing in Europe in any one season can range from four to six, depending on the qualification scenarios. Currently, Israel is awarded the following places in European competitions:
| Competition | Who qualifies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | Premier League champions | |
| UEFA Europa League | State Cup winners | If one of the top 3 teams in the Premier League also wins the State Cup, the fourth-placed team will be granted a Conference League spot. |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | Clubs finishing second or third in the Premier League | If the second or third-placed club has already qualified for the Conference League through the State Cup, then the fourth-placed club of the Premier League get a Conference League spot. |
| Any Israeli club that wins the UEFA Europa Conference League and has not already qualified for the Champions League or Europa League or Conference League | By the UEFA Europa Conference League regulations (Regulation 1.07), this club's entry into the UEFA Europa Conference League will not be at the expense of any other entries to which its national federation is entitled |
In addition, once in a European competition, it becomes possible to qualify for others:
- All the losers of the UEFA Champions League Preliminary Round and First qualifying round go forward to the UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round
- All the losers of the UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round go forward to the UEFA Europa League Third qualifying round
- All the losers of the UEFA Champions League Third qualifying round go forward to the UEFA Europa League Play-off round
- All the losers of the UEFA Champions League Play-off round go forward to the UEFA Europa League Group stage.
- Any clubs playing in the UEFA Champions League that will finish third in the group stage will go into the UEFA Europa League round of 32
Israel national team
editIsrael hosted and won the1964 AFC Asian Cup.Israel qualified for theWorld Cupin 1970 which was held in Mexico.Mordechai Spieglerscored in a 1–1 draw againstSweden.Israel's Olympic football team qualified for the1968 Summer Olympicsand the1976 Summer Olympicsboth times reaching the quarter-finals.
Israel's highestFIFA rankingwas 15th in November 2008.
Famous matches of the Israeli football team include the 1-2 and 0-1 defeat against Iran respectively in1968 AFC Asian Cupand1974 Asian Games,both held in Tehran when Israel and Iran were on friendly terms, the 3–2 win inFrancein the1994 World Cup qualification,which ended up disqualifying the French team from theWorld Cupin the United States, the defeat ofAustria5–0 in 1999 duringEuro 2000qualifications, and a 2–1 win overArgentinain a friendly match in 1998, a game played inTeddy StadiuminJerusalem.
History
editBritish Mandate
editDuring theBritish Mandate for Palestine,organised football consisted mainly of British and Jewish clubs, although Arab clubs also existed and took part inIFAcompetitions. As early as 1906,Maccabi Tel Avivwas formed as a social club, followed by a string of Maccabi clubs in other cities and towns, such asJerusalem,Petah Tikva,Haifa,Zikhron Ya'akovandHadera.On 24 April 1924,Hapoel Haifawas formed.[10]Shortly after formation, they joined the WorldMaccabiOrganization. The first membership cards read "Club Hapoel Sport, Cultural OrganizationHaifa"(A member of the World Maccabi Organization). Later, during a meeting of Hapoel labourers inAfula,it was decided to break off from the World Maccabi Organization and create theHapoel (Labor) Organization,followed by Hapoel teams fromTel Aviv,Jerusalem,Herzliyaand other cities and towns. Later, during the 1930s and the 1940s other sport organisations were formed, such asBeitar(founded by the right-wing revisionist party), Elitzur (formed by the religiousHapoel HaMizrachiparty) and the short lived Hakoah 09 (formed by former members ofHakoah Vienna).
In February 1928, the first everTel Aviv derbytook place. Maccabi won 3–0 and thus the oldest rivalry in Israel was born.
During the 1920s, and before the IFA was established, two cup competitions were held, one which acted as an unofficial national cup, which was dominated by British military teams, and one named Magen Shimshon, which was open to Maccabi clubs. In 1928 thePeople's Cupbegan. This cup would later be known as Palestine Cup and, after theIsraeli Declaration of Independence,the Israel State Cup. In thefirst final,played inTel Avivtwo Jewish clubs,Hapoel Tel AvivmetMaccabi Hasmonean Jerusalemand won by a score of 2–0, but the cup was shared since Maccabi appealed to the newly formed IFA that Hapoel had fielded an ineligible player.
Nine teams started the first league in 1932. The first winner of the league was theBritish Police,who, under the guidance of Police Chief Speiser, were the best-organised club in the country; Speiser would later serve as the first chairman of the football association. The league was held inconsistently, and only 10 titles were won between 1932 and 1947, all of which, beside the first title, were one by eitherMaccabi Tel Aviv(4 titles) orHapoel Tel Aviv(5 titles).
During the British Mandate period, theIFA representative teamcompeted under the title of Eretz Israel/Palestine, operating as a virtually all-Jewish combination. The first international match was aqualifying matchfor the1934 World CupagainstEgyptin Cairo, which resulted in a 7–1 defeat. The second leg played inTel Aviv,resulted in a 4–1 defeat and an 11–2 aggregate loss. Earlier, in 1931, a mixed team of Palestinians, Jews, and British police played an international match in Egypt.
During this period Jewish teams took international tours in order to promote both football in Mandatory Palestine and the Zionist cause. Such tours includeMaccabi Haifatour of the United States in 1927, Maccabi Eretz Israel tour ofAustraliain 1939 andHapoel Tel Avivtour of the US in 1947. In return, many internationally famed clubs visited Mandatory Palestine and played Jewish and British clubs. Among these clubs areHakoah Vienna,MTK BudapestandHajduk Split.
Post independence
editJust four months after Israel gained independence, theIsraeli national teamtravelled toNew York Cityto play theirAmericancounterparts in a friendly at thePolo Grounds.Over 40,000 spectators witnessed the newly formed Israeli side lose to the Americans 3–1.Shmuel Ben Drorwent down in history as the first goal scorer in the history of the Israeli national team.
In 1967,Hapoel Tel Avivbecame the first club to win theAsian Club Championships.In the2001–02 UEFA CupHapoel reached the quarter-finals after knocking outChelsea,Lokomotiv MoscowandParma.
The 1970s and early 1980 were dominated byMaccabi Tel Aviv,Hapoel Tel AvivandMaccabi Netanya.During the mid-1980s under the guidance of coachShlomo ScharfMaccabi Haifa F.C.rose to power, winning its first two championship titles. In 1992, when Israel rejoinedUEFA,Maccabi Haifa was bought by businessmanYa'akov Shaharwho lead European standards of high quality management in the Israeli club. This move paved the way for private ownerships of football clubs inIsrael.
SuccessfulIsraeliplayers who also played outside Israel includeEli Ohana,Mordechai Spiegler,Giora Spiegel,Ronny Rosenthal,Avi Cohen,Eyal Berkovich,Haim Revivo,Dudu Aouate,Yossi Benayoun,Tal Ben Haim,Elyaniv BardaandBiram Kayal.
The 2000s (decade) was dominated byMaccabi Haifa F.C.who won seven out of 11 possible championship titles, and also recorded good results in European tournaments such as theUEFA Champions LeagueandUEFA Cup.
Israeli teams have also qualified for theUEFA Champions Leaguegroup stage six times:Maccabi Haifain the2002–03,2009–10and2022-23seasons;Maccabi Tel Avivin the2004–05and2015-16seasons; andHapoel Tel Avivin the2010–11season.[11]
After 2018, whenWilli Ruttensteinerwas appointed as technical director ofthe national team,a national football academy was founded, and three supporting development centers were established. As well the training of the coaches was strengthened.[12]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^Gross, Tom."Tom Gross on Soccer & Israel on National Review Online".Old.nationalreview.com. Archived fromthe originalon 3 December 2013.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^"FIFA asks Israel to assist Palestinian soccer - CBC Sports - Soccer".Cbc.ca.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^"Israeli soccer club fans say no to Muslim players".Alarabiya.net. 28 January 2013.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^Greenberg, Joel (11 February 2013)."Soccer racism raises concern in Israel - Washington Post".Articles.washingtonpost.com.Archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2013.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^Ackerman, Gwen (9 September 2013)."Israel-Based Football Website Is Turning Fans' Love of the Game Into a New Media Business".Bloomberg.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^"How German football is embracing Israel - CNN.com".Edition.cnn.com. 13 June 2013.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^"Football in Israel, the not-so-beautiful game | The Jewish Chronicle".Thejc.com. 28 August 2008.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^"When Saturday Comes - Israel".Wsc.co.uk. 9 July 2012.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^"When Saturday Comes - Anti-Arab league".Wsc.co.uk. 9 July 2012.Retrieved2 December2013.
- ^"The Establishment of" Hapoel "- Hapoel Sport Association".www.hapoel.org.il.Retrieved4 April2018.
- ^von Mittelstaedt, Juliane (19 September 2012)."Israeli Soccer Champion Sparks Urban Revival".Der Spiegel.Retrieved11 June2022.
- ^"Willi Ruttensteiner is no longer team boss of Israel".Der Standard(in German). 7 February 2022.Retrieved11 June2022.