Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.

association football club in Israel

Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל מכבי תל אביב; Moadon Kaduregel Maccabi Tel Aviv) is an Israeli football club. It is one of the oldest clubs in Israeli football. The club is also the most successful. They have won 18 championships, 22 national cups, 2 Asian Champions Cups [1] and 3 Toto cups. The homeground of the team is the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, where also the city rival Hapoel Tel Aviv is playing.

Full nameMaccabi Tel Aviv Football Club
Founded1906
GroundBloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv
Capacity29,400
ChairmanMitchell Goldhar
ManagerRobbie Keane
LeagueIsraeli Premier League

History

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The club was founded in 1906. It was the first Jewish football club in Ottoman Palestine. The name was then Rishon Lezion-Yafo. The first match was a 3-0 win against a team of French sailors. After the foundation of Tel Aviv in 1909 the clubs name was changed into Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi was founding member of the Palestine Football Association and the Palestine League.

Maccabi Tel Aviv in Australia, 1939

In 1936 the club was invited to play in the United States. On the way Maccabi played in France versus Racing Paris and Olympique Lille. In the United States they played against an All-star team of New York City at Yankee Stadium. Maccabi also defeated the American Soccer League team in Brooklyn and Philadelphia on their home ground 1–0. Other matches were against St. Louis Stars and the Boston Celtics. They played also in Canada, where they drew 1–1 with Toronto All-Stars. In 1939 they played 18 matches in Australia.

After the independence in 1948 Tel Aviv was the most successful club in Israel's top league.

The 1950s decade is considered to be their "golden age" because they won 5 league championships and 4 cups. The club was almost relegated in 1976 but beat Beitar Jerusalem in the relegation play-off.

In the 2011/12 season they reached the group stage of the UEFA Europa League. The team played versus PSV Eindhoven, Rapid Bucharest and Legia Warsaw. They failed to reach the next stage (2 wins, 1 draw, 3 lost).

Current team

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As of 13 October 2011

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos. NationPlayer
1GK  IsraelBarak Levi
2DF  IsraelKlemi Saban
3DF  IsraelUri Cohen
4DF  BrazilNivaldo (2nd VC)
5DF  IsraelYagil Biton
6MF  IsraelGal Alberman
7MF  IsraelGuillermo Israilevich
9FW  IsraelBarak Itzhaki (Captain)
10MF  Bosnia and HerzegovinaHaris Medunjanin
11MF  IsraelEli Zizov
13FW  IsraelMoanes Dabour
14DF  IsraelYoav Ziv
15MF  IsraelDor Micha
16FW  IsraelEliran Atar
17DF  MontenegroSavo Pavićević
18FW  SenegalMoussa Konaté
No.Pos. NationPlayer
19MF  IsraelRoi Kahat
20FW  IsraelDia Saba
21MF  IsraelShiran Yeini (1st VC)
23MF  IsraelMoshe Lugasi
24FW  IsraelRoberto Colautti
25MF  IsraelRafi Dahan
26DF  IsraelAvi Strul
27DF  IsraelOmer Vered
29MF  IsraelRif Peretz
30MF  IsraelOmri Shkel
31GK  IsraelYossi Ginzburg
42DF  IsraelRahamim Checkol
43MF  IsraelRuslan Barski
44DF  CroatiaRoberto Punčec
45MF  IsraelTom Mansharov
55GK  IsraelGuy Haimov

In an Israel team only 5 foreigners are allowed. The foreigners are:

Honours

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References

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  1. Before joining the UEFA Israel was member of the Asian federation.
  2. "Maccabi Tel Aviv league titles". Archived from the original on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  3. Israel – List of Cup Finals RSSSF
  4. Israeli Super Cup winners RSSSF