Football in Israel
Encyclopedia
Football is the most popular sport in Israel. Football as an organised sport first developed in the United Kingdom
who controlled Israel
during the days of the British Mandate. Israel will be hosting the UEFA U-21 Championship
in 2013.
(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.
and the Toto Cup
.
is the Israeli equivalent of the English FA 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 final is played at the Ramat Gan Stadium and the winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa League.
is the Israeli equivalent of the English League Cup
, the main difference being that there is a separate cup for each of the three national divisions. The cup is played first in a group stage, with the highest placed teams qualifying for the knock-out stages. Like the State Cup, the final is played at the National Stadium, though the winner does not qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
-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:
In addition, once in a European competition, it becomes possible to qualify for others:
Israel hosted and won the 1964 AFC Asian Cup
. Israel qualified for the World Cup
in 1970 which was held in Mexico. Mordechai Spiegler
scored in a 1–1 draw against Sweden
. Israel's olympic football team qualified for the 1968 Summer Olympics
and the 1976 Summer Olympics
both times reaching the quarter finals.
Israel's highest FIFA ranking was 15th in November 2008.
Famous matches of the Israeli football team include the 3–2 win in France
in the 1994 world championship qualifying games, which ended up disqualifying the French team from the championship in the United States, the defeat of Austria
5–0 in 1999 during Euro 2000 qualifications, and a 2–1 win over Argentina
in a friendly match in 1998, a game played in Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.
Organization. The first membership cards read "Club Hapoel Sport, Cultural Organization Haifa
" (A member of the World Maccabi Organization). Later, during a meeting of Hapoel laborers in Afula
, it was decided to break off from the World Maccabi Organization and create the Hapoel (Labor) Organization.
In February 1928, the first ever derby took place in the British Mandate between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv. Maccabi won 3–0 and was the start to the oldest rivalry that takes place today in modern-day Israel.
When a cup competition was formed, British teams dominated until 26 May 1928, when two Jewish clubs made it to the final in Jerusalem. Hapoel Tel Aviv beat Maccabi Hasmonean Jerusalem by a score of 2–0, but the cup was shared since Maccabi alleged to British officials that Hapoel had fielded an ineligible player.
Nine teams started the first league in 1932. The first winner of the league were the British 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.
During the British Mandate period, the international team competed under the title of Palestine
, despite operating as a virtually all-Jewish organisation. The first international match was a qualifying match
for the 1934 World Cup
qualifier against Egypt in Cairo, which resulted in a 7–1 defeat. The second leg, played in Tel Aviv
, resulted in a 4–1 defeat and an 11–2 aggregate loss. Earlier, in 1931, a mixed team of Palestinian Jews and British played an international match.
One of the first big tours of the international team was to Australia
on the eve of World War II
. The team was composed of players from both Hapoel and Maccabi organizations. Three players eventually ended up staying in Australia; two of those (Avraham Beit Halevi and Menahem Marimovich) died while serving in the Australian army in attacks against the Japanese
.
traveled to New York City
to play their American
counterparts in a friendly at the Polo Grounds
. Over 40,000 spectators witnessed the newly formed Israeli side lose to the Americans 3–1. Shmuel Ben Dror went down in history as the first goal scorer in the history of the Israeli national team.
In 1967, Hapoel Tel Aviv became the first club to win the Asian Club Championships. In the 2001–02 UEFA Cup Hapoel reached the quarter-finals after knocking out Chelsea
, Lokomotiv Moscow
and Parma
.
The 1970s and early 1980 were dominated by Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C., Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. and Maccabi Netanya
. During the mid-1980s under the guidance of coach Shlomo Scharf
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
rose to power, winning its first two championship titles. In 1992, when Israel rejoined UEFA
, Maccabi Haifa was bought by businessman Ya'akov Shahar
who lead European standards of high quality managenemt in the Israeli club. This move paved the way for private ownerships of football clubs in Israel
.
Successful Israel
i players who also played outside Israel include Eli Ohana
, Mordechai Spiegler
, Giora Spiegel
, Ronny Rosenthal
, Avi Cohen
, Eyal Berkovich, Haim Revivo
, Dudu Aouate
, Yossi Benayoun
, Tal Ben Haim
, Elyaniv Barda
and Biram Kayal.
The first decade of the 21st century was dominated by Maccabi Haifa F.C.
who won 7 out of 11 possible chamionship titles, and also recored nice achievement in European tournament such as the UEFA Champions League
and UEFA Cup
.
Israeli teams were also qualified four time to the UEFA Champions League
group stage, including Maccabi Haifa
in the 2002–03 and 2009–10 seasons, Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2004–05 season and Hapoel Tel Aviv in the 2010–11 season.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who controlled Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
during the days of the British Mandate. Israel will be hosting the UEFA U-21 Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
in 2013.
The Israel Football Association
The Israel Football AssociationIsrael Football Association
The Israel Football Association , also known as IFA, is the governing body of football in Israel. It organizes the football leagues, Israeli Premier League, Israeli State Cup, Toto Cup and the Israeli national football team. The association is based in Ramat Gan...
(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.
League system
The Israeli football league system has five levels and 15 different divisions, all run by the IFA. Promotion and relegation operates between each level, theoretically allowing clubs to progress from bottom to top within six seasons.Structure
The structure of the Israeli league system is this:- Israeli Premier League: the top division operates at the national level and has 16 member clubs
- Liga LeumitLiga LeumitLiga Leumit is the second tier in the Israeli football league system below the Premier League.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the lowest-placed team are relegated to Liga Alef while the highest-placed team from Liga Alef are promoted in their place...
: the second division operates at the national level and has 16 member clubs - Liga AlefLiga Alef-History:League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga Alef...
: the third division is split into two regional leagues (north and south) and has 32 member clubs (16 in each division) - Liga BetLiga Bet-History:League football started in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga...
: 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 GimelLiga GimelLiga Gimel is the fifth and bottom tier of Israeli football league system, a position it has held since 2009.-History:Between 1999 and 2009 it was the sixth tier after Liga Bet, Between 1974 and 1999 it was the fifth tier after the creation of Liga Artzit, and between 1949 and 1974 it was the...
: the fifth division is split into seven regional leagues (three in the north, three in the south) and has 89 member clubs (16 in four division, 13 in one division and 12 in another division)
Cups
In Israel, there are two major cup competitions: the State CupIsrael State Cup
The State Cup , is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israeli Football Association.The State Cup was first held in 1927–28 as the Palestine Cup...
and the Toto Cup
Toto Cup
The Toto Cup is an association football tournament that exists separately in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Premier League and Liga Leumit....
.
State Cup
The State CupIsrael State Cup
The State Cup , is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israeli Football Association.The State Cup was first held in 1927–28 as the Palestine Cup...
is the Israeli equivalent of the English FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, 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 final is played at the Ramat Gan Stadium and the winner qualifies for the UEFA Europa League.
Toto Cup
The Toto CupToto Cup
The Toto Cup is an association football tournament that exists separately in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Premier League and Liga Leumit....
is the Israeli equivalent of the English League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, the main difference being that there is a separate cup for each of the three national divisions. The cup is played first in a group stage, with the highest placed teams qualifying for the knock-out stages. Like the State Cup, the final is played at the National Stadium, though the winner does not qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
Qualification for European competitions
Clubs who do well in either the Premier League or State Cup qualify to compete in various UEFAUEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
-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 UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It... |
Premier League champions | |
| UEFA Europa League | Clubs finishing second or third in the Premier League | If the second or third-placed club has already qualified for Europa League through the State Cup or if the Premier League champions won the State Cup as well, then the fourth-placed club of the Premier League get a Europa League spot |
| State Cup winners | ||
| Any Israeli club that wins the UEFA Europa League and has not already qualified for the Champions League or UEFA Europa League | By the UEFA Europa League regulations (Regulation 1.07), this club's entry into the UEFA Europa 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 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
1964 AFC Asian Cup
The 1964 AFC Asian Cup was the third AFC Asian Cup football tournament. The finals were held in Israel from May 26 to June 3, 1964.The tournament used a round-robin system, and host nation Israel won the title with a perfect record of three wins.-Venues:...
. Israel qualified for the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
in 1970 which was held in Mexico. Mordechai Spiegler
Mordechai Spiegler
Mordechai "Motaleh" Spiegler is a former Israeli footballer. He remains Israel's record goalscorer, with 33 goals in 83 caps.In 2005, he was voted the 105th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest...
scored in a 1–1 draw against Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Israel's olympic football team qualified for the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
and the 1976 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Football competition at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Sherbrooke. Groups A, C and D had only three teams instead of four, as Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia national teams adhered to African-led boycott of the Games against the participation of New...
both times reaching the quarter finals.
Israel's highest FIFA ranking was 15th in November 2008.
Famous matches of the Israeli football team include the 3–2 win in France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
in the 1994 world championship qualifying games, which ended up disqualifying the French team from the championship in the United States, the defeat of Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
5–0 in 1999 during Euro 2000 qualifications, and a 2–1 win over Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in a friendly match in 1998, a game played in Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.
British Mandate
During the British Mandate for Palestine, organized football consisted of British and Jewish clubs. As early as 1906, Maccabi Tel Aviv was formed as a social group. On 24 April 1924, history was made when Hapoel Haifa was formed. Shortly after formation, they joined the World MaccabiMaccabi (sports)
Maccabi may refer to:* The Maccabi World Union, Maccabiah Games or any one of the following sport organizations around the world:...
Organization. The first membership cards read "Club Hapoel Sport, Cultural Organization Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
" (A member of the World Maccabi Organization). Later, during a meeting of Hapoel laborers in Afula
Afula
Afula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
, it was decided to break off from the World Maccabi Organization and create the Hapoel (Labor) Organization.
In February 1928, the first ever derby took place in the British Mandate between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv. Maccabi won 3–0 and was the start to the oldest rivalry that takes place today in modern-day Israel.
When a cup competition was formed, British teams dominated until 26 May 1928, when two Jewish clubs made it to the final in Jerusalem. Hapoel Tel Aviv beat Maccabi Hasmonean Jerusalem by a score of 2–0, but the cup was shared since Maccabi alleged to British officials that Hapoel had fielded an ineligible player.
Nine teams started the first league in 1932. The first winner of the league were the British 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.
During the British Mandate period, the international team competed under the title of Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, despite operating as a virtually all-Jewish organisation. The first international match was a qualifying match
1934 FIFA World Cup qualification
Estonia v Lithuania was not played, since neither team could qualify with a win.Sweden qualified.-Group 2:----Spain qualified.-Group 3:Italy qualified, as Greece withdrew after the first match.-Group 4:--------...
for the 1934 World Cup
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
qualifier against Egypt in Cairo, which resulted in a 7–1 defeat. The second leg, played in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, resulted in a 4–1 defeat and an 11–2 aggregate loss. Earlier, in 1931, a mixed team of Palestinian Jews and British played an international match.
One of the first big tours of the international team was to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on the eve of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The team was composed of players from both Hapoel and Maccabi organizations. Three players eventually ended up staying in Australia; two of those (Avraham Beit Halevi and Menahem Marimovich) died while serving in the Australian army in attacks against the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
.
Post–Independence
Just four months after Israel gained independence, the Israeli national teamIsrael national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
traveled to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to play their American
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
counterparts in a friendly at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
. Over 40,000 spectators witnessed the newly formed Israeli side lose to the Americans 3–1. Shmuel Ben Dror went down in history as the first goal scorer in the history of the Israeli national team.
In 1967, Hapoel Tel Aviv became the first club to win the Asian Club Championships. In the 2001–02 UEFA Cup Hapoel reached the quarter-finals after knocking out Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, Lokomotiv Moscow
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
The following years were rather successful as Lokomotiv were consistent in the national championships. However, performances after World War II suffered and actually in the space of five year Lokomotiv were relegated to the Soviet First League twice. In 1951, Lokomotiv came second and eventually...
and Parma
Parma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
.
The 1970s and early 1980 were dominated by Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C., Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. and Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Netanya
Maccabi Netanya F.C. is an Israeli football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club were founding members of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1970, the club's golden period lasted until the late 1980s, including four more league titles and a double...
. During the mid-1980s under the guidance of coach Shlomo Scharf
Shlomo Scharf
Shlomo Scharf , is an Israeli football manager and a regular commentator on Israeli Sport 5 TV channel. Scharf managed Maccabi Haifa to three championships, and was Israel national football team manager from 1992 to 1999.-Managerial career:...
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
rose to power, winning its first two championship titles. In 1992, when Israel rejoined UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
, Maccabi Haifa was bought by businessman Ya'akov Shahar
Ya'akov Shahar
Ya'akov Shahar is an Israeli businessman best known for his ownership of Maccabi Haifa F.C..Before he went into business, Shahar played football for the youth team of Sektzia Nes Tziona and was about to play for the senior side but suffered a serious injury.-Holdings:Techtium Ltd...
who lead European standards of high quality managenemt in the Israeli club. This move paved the way for private ownerships of football clubs in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Successful Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i players who also played outside Israel include Eli Ohana
Eli Ohana
Eli Ohana is a former Israeli football player and later a manager. He is currently the manager of the Israel U21 team. He is considered to be one of the greatest Israeli players ever.-Early life and playing career:...
, Mordechai Spiegler
Mordechai Spiegler
Mordechai "Motaleh" Spiegler is a former Israeli footballer. He remains Israel's record goalscorer, with 33 goals in 83 caps.In 2005, he was voted the 105th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest...
, Giora Spiegel
Giora Spiegel
Giora Spiegel , is a former Israeli footballer and coach. As a footballer, he holds the record for the longest Israeli career, spanning 14 years and 357 days.-Biography:...
, Ronny Rosenthal
Ronny Rosenthal
Ronny Rosenthal also known by the nickname Rocket Ronny is an Israeli former footballer. After starting his career in the city of his birth with Maccabi Haifa, Rosenthal went on to play in Belgium with Club Brugge and Standard Liège. He moved to Liverpool in 1990 for a fee of £1.1million, becoming...
, Avi Cohen
Avi Cohen
Avraham "Avi" Cohen was an Israeli footballer who played as a defender. He was best known for his spell playing for Liverpool in England. After retirement from active football and management, he was the chairman of the Israel Professional Footballers Association for over five years until he was...
, Eyal Berkovich, Haim Revivo
Haim Revivo
Haim Michael Revivo is a retired Israeli football player, and a businessman. He was especially famous for his free-kick goals and his entertaining celebrations after these goals.- From Ashdod to Tel Aviv :...
, Dudu Aouate
Dudu Aouate
David "Dudu" Aouate is an Israeli footballer who plays for RCD Mallorca in Spain, as a goalkeeper.-Club career:Aouate began his career at Maccabi Haifa F.C. at youth level, as an understudy to Nir Davidovich...
, Yossi Benayoun
Yossi Benayoun
Yosef Shai "Yossi" Benayoun is an Israeli international footballer who plays for Arsenal on loan from Chelsea.Benayoun plays as an attacking midfielder, often occupying the space just behind the striker. In Israel, he is sometimes nicknamed "The Diamond from Dimona". He is also the captain of the...
, Tal Ben Haim
Tal Ben Haim
Tal Ben Haim is an Israeli professional footballer who currently plays for Portsmouth.He can play at either centre back or right back. He is also a member of the Israeli national squad...
, Elyaniv Barda
Elyaniv Barda
Elyaniv Felix Barda , born December 15, 1981 in Beersheba, Israel) is an Israeli football forward and winger. Formerly a player for Israeli clubs Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv, he is currently contracted to Belgian club Racing Genk...
and Biram Kayal.
The first decade of the 21st century was dominated by Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
who won 7 out of 11 possible chamionship titles, and also recored nice achievement in European tournament such as the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
Israeli teams were also qualified four time to the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
group stage, including Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
in the 2002–03 and 2009–10 seasons, Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2004–05 season and Hapoel Tel Aviv in the 2010–11 season.