Only once in their history did Maccabi Tel Aviv take part in the European Cup Winners Cup competition. Only seven years separated Maccabi’s debut on the European stage in 1992 and the final year of the competition’s existence in the 1998/99 season, after which the competition as a whole was abandoned. During those seven years Maccabi twice won the coveted Israeli State Cup, the pre-condition for participating in the tournament, but in one of those seasons, 1995/96, Maccabi won the league and Cup double and hence took their place in the more prestigious Champions League qualifying rounds.

That left only the 1994/95 season for Maccabi to take part in the Cup Winners Cup, after defeating Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-0 in the domestic State Cup final in the 1993/94 season. They began the tournament on the right foot by beating Icelandic outfit Keflavík FC in both the away and home legs of the qualifying round. In IcelandNir Klinger scored Maccabi’s first ever goal in the competition and after a Keflavík equaliser Avi Nimni restored the visitors’ lead eight minutes from time. Back in Israel at the National Stadium in Ramat Gan the going was easier as both Brummer brothers, Alon and Gadi, as well as Nir Klinger and Eli Driks provided the goals in a convincing 4-1 victory.

In round one, Maccabi Tel Aviv were drawn against a European club of a stature they had never faced before, Budesliga side SV Werder Bremen. In the home leg Maccabi looked up for the challenge and only a stellar performance by the German keeper, Oliver Reck, kept the home side at bay for a goalless draw. In the return leg, former Germany internationals Marco Bode and Mario Basler both scored and Werder Bremen’s 2-0 victory meant the end of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s only run in the now abandoned Cup Winners Cup.