Israel national football team

Israel

Nickname	-
Association	Israel Football Association
Coach	Avraham Grant, 2003-
Most caps	Amir Shelah (85)
Top scorer	Mordechai Spiegler (32)
Home colours 　 Away colours
First International Egypt 7 - 1 Palestine/Eretz Israel (Cairo, Egypt; March 16, 1934) USA 3 - 1 Israel (New York City, USA; September 26, 1948)
Largest win Israel 8 - 0 San Marino (Ramat-Gan, Israel; September 8, 1999)
Worst defeat Egypt 7 - 1 Palestine/Eretz Israel (Cairo, Egypt; March 16, 1934) Germany 7 - 1 Israel (Kaiserslautern, Germany; February 13,2002)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (First in 1970)
Best result	Round 1, 1970
European Championship
Appearances	nome (First in -)
Best result	-

The Israel national football team has participated in three different continents: Asia, Oceania, before finally settling for Europe as a full member of UEFA. The Israel Football Association (IFA) was found before the creation of the state, in 1928. IFA was accepted as a full member to FIFA in 1929. IFA first dealt with local leagues, but later also managed the national team that was created to participate in the World Cup qualifications (participated in 1934, 1938 as Palestine/Eretz Israel national team).

Israel played its first official game on 1934 in the world cup qualifiers in lost 1-7 to Egypt, the first ever goal scored by Avraham Nudelmann. Upon creation of the State of Israel in 1948, IFA became the official association of the new state. Israel national team first game as an independent state was on September 26, 1948, against USA (resulted 1-3 in favor of the USA).

In 1964 Israel hosted the Asian Nations Cup and won 2-1 against South Korea. In 1968 Israel went to their first Olympic Games and lost to Bulgaria on coin toss in the quarterfinals. In 1970 Israel qualified for their first and only World Cup in Mexico, but only got two points after two drawes with Sweden and Italy (which made it to the finals) and a loss to Uruguay. In 1976 Israel get to their second Olympic Games and lost in the quarterfinals again, this time against Brazil. In 1990 Israel made it to the Playoffs of WC Italy 1990 from the top of the Oceania group, to play against Colombia who qualified from the South American group, but was denied. (1-0, 0-0). In 2000, Israel made it to the playoffs of Euro 2000, but was beaten by Denmark.

The Israeli national football team will play France, Ireland, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands and Cyprus in the qualification stages for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

World Cup record

• 1930 - Did not enter
• 1934 - Did not qualify (as Palestine/Eretz Israel)
• 1938 - Did not qualify (as Palestine/Eretz Israel)
• 1950 to 1966 - Did not qualify
• 1970 - Round 1
• 1974 to 2002 - Did not qualify

European Championship record

• 1960 to 1992 - Did not enter, was not a full UEFA member until 1994
• 1996 to 2004 - Did not qualify

Asian Nations Cup record

• 1956 - Second place
• 1960 - Second place
• 1964 - Champions
• 1968 - Third place
• 1972 onwards - Did not enter, no longer member of AFC

Famous players

• Eyal Berkovic
• Avi Cohen
• Gidi Damti
• Shye Glazer
• Yehosua (Shye) Figenboim
• Ori Malmilian
• Haim Revivo
• Ronny Rosenthal
• Yitzhak Shum
• Nahom Stelmach
• Eli Ohana

Top Capped players

• Amir Shelah: 85
• Nir Klinger: 82

Top Goalscorers

1. Mordechai Spiegler: 32
2. Yehosua (Shye) Figenboim: 24
3. Ronen Harazi: 23
4. Nahom Stelmach: 22
5. Gidi Damti: 21
6. Shye Glazer: 18
-. Giyora Spiegl: 18
8. Alon Mizrahi: 17
-. Eli Ohana: 17