The Israel National Team opens up their World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign against Italy. The Yellow & Blue will have four representatives in Blue & White including, Tal Ben Chaim, Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi and Eyal Golasa.
Prior to kickoff, we put together some interesting facts that you may not have known about Maccabi and the Israel National Team.
1,172 – Appearances by Maccabi players for the Israel National Team, more than any other club. Interestingly enough Israel’s first National Team match was in March of 1934 against Egypt for the World Cup that was being played in that same year.
135 – Goals have been scored by Maccabi Tel Aviv players for Israel. The National Team has scored a total of 729 goals while giving up 695 in all official contests.
18 – Goals scored by Sheya Glazer and Giora Spiegel as they are both tied for the most goals scored by a Maccabi player for Israel.
4 – Maccabi players have scored a hat-trick for Israel in an official match: Sheya Glazer against Turkey (1950), Rafi Levi versus India (1960), Vicki Peretz against Greece (1979) and Benny Tabak versus Portugal in 1982 which was most memorable.
17.5 – Miko Belo’s age (Maccabi player between the mid-60’s until the early 80’s), when he played 90 minutes against Bulgaria in the 1966 World Cup qualifiers becoming the youngest ever to play an official match for the Blue & White.
100 – Maccabi players who have played for the Israel National Team. Avi Nimni is at the top of the list with 69 all-time appearances as a Yellow & Blue player with Israel.
2011 – Was the last year when the Israel National Team didn’t have a Maccabi player as part of the squad in a match that occurred in Malta.
7 – Out of 22 all-time Israel National Team coaches were also Maccabi Tel Aviv coaches: Shneor & Grondman (Together with Israel-separate at Maccabi), Yosele Merimovitch, Shlomo Scharf, Avram Grant, Dror Kashtan and Jerry Beit Halevi
