Israel Under-21
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)הנבחרת הצעירה (The Young Chosen Team)
התכולים-לבנים (The Skyblue and Whites)[1]
AssociationIsrael Football Association
ConfederationUEFA (Europe; 1990s–present)
Head coachGuy Luzon[2]
CaptainGil Cohen[3][4]
Most capsArik Benado (39)[5]
Top scorerAlon Mizrahi (15)[6]
FIFA codeISR
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Israel 2–2 Greece 
(Greece; 1977)
Biggest defeat
 Czech Republic 5–1 Israel 
(Czech Republic; 25 April 2000)
Olympic Games
Appearances2 (first in 1968)
Best resultQuarter-finals (1968, 1976)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances3 (first in 2007)
Best resultSemi-finals (2023)

The Israel national under-21 football team (Hebrew: הנבחרת הצעירה של ישראל בכדורגל) is the national under-21 football team of Israel and is controlled by the Israel Football Association (IFA). It is considered to be the feeder team for the senior Israel national football team.

This team consists of Israeli players aged 21 or under at the start of each two-year UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship campaign, so players can be, and often are, up to 23 years old. Team members may also simultaneously qualify to various teams for Under-20s (for non-UEFA tournaments), Under-19s and Under 17s, or even the senior national team, so long as the meet the respective age restriction. It is also possible to play for one country at youth level and another at senior level (provided the player is eligible).

The U-21 team has been constructed, following the Israel's acceptance as a full member of UEFA. A draw in a qualifier against Greece in Greece, was Israel U-21s' first fixture during the early 1990s.

Israel U-21s do not have a permanent home. They play in stadia dotted all around Israel in an attempt to encourage fans in all areas of the country to get behind Israel. Because of the lesser appeal compared to the senior national team, smaller grounds are usually used (such as HaMoshava Stadium in Petah Tikva, Israel).

The team qualified for the European Championships for the first time in 2007, reaching the final stage held in the Netherlands after beating the French Under-21 team 2–1 on aggregate.

Competitive history

There is no Under-21 World Cup, although there is an Under-20 World Cup. European U-21 teams compete for the European Championship, with the finals every even-numbered year. It will be held in odd-numbered years from 2007. Israel has never fared well in European Under-21 Football Championships.

The current campaign started shortly after the 2006 finals – the qualification stage of the 2007 competition. UEFA have decided to shift the next tournament forward to avoid a clash with senior tournaments taking place in even-numbered years. The competition has therefore been reduced as qualifying must be completed in a year's less time. In their three-team qualification group, Israel finished ahead of Turkey and Wales. In the two-legged play-off against France for a place in the final stage, the team achieved a surprising 1–1 draw in France and won the home match 1–0, with Amir Taga scoring in stoppage time.

Note: The year of the tournament represents the year in which it ends.

Competitive record

UEFA European Under-21 Championship

The Israeli U21 squad at the final-tournament of the 2013 UEFA Euros Under-21 that was hosted by Israel
UEFA U-21 Championship Record Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Pld W D* L GF GA
Europe 1992Did not qualify6320173
France 1994103161716
Spain 1996103341211
Romania 19988521179
Slovakia 20008224613
Switzerland 200284041613
Germany 20048314611
Portugal 20068431117
Netherlands 2007Group Stage300306Squad422053
Sweden 2009Did not qualify8521165
Denmark 20118512188
Israel 2013Group Stage311136SquadQualified as host
Czech Republic 2015Did not qualify85032215
Poland 201710631214
Italy San Marino 2019104241718
Hungary Slovenia 2021103431214
Romania Georgia (country) 2023Semi-final512226Squad126332011
Total3/1711236518-136633141233161

2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Qualifiers – Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Germany 4 4 0 0 13 4 +9 12 Final tournament — 3–1 11 Oct '24 22 Mar '24 4–1 26 Mar '24
2  Poland 5 4 0 1 12 4 +8 12 Play-offs 15 Oct '24 — 26 Mar '24 3–0 5–0 2–1
3  Bulgaria 6 2 3 1 13 7 +6 9 2–3 10 Sep '24 — 1–1 6–0 1–0
4  Kosovo 6 2 2 2 8 10 −2 8 0–3 11 Oct '24 2–2 — 2–0 3–1
5  Estonia 6 0 1 5 2 19 −17 1 10 Sep '24 0–1 1–1 15 Oct '24 — 6 Sep '24
6  Israel 3 0 0 3 2 6 −4 0 TBD 21 Mar '24 15 Oct '24 10 Sep '24 TBD —
Updated to match(es) played on 21 November 2023. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Qualifiers play-offs

The four play-off winners qualify for the final tournament.

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Croatia  3–3 (5–4 p)  Denmark 2–1 1–2 (a.e.t.)
Slovakia  3–5  Ukraine 3–2 0–3
Republic of Ireland  1–1 (1–3 p)  Israel 1–1 0–0 (a.e.t.)
Iceland  1–2  Czech Republic 1–2 0–0

2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship group stage (Final tournament)

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England 3 3 0 0 6 0 +6 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Israel 3 1 1 1 2 3 −1 4
3  Czech Republic 3 1 0 2 2 4 −2 3
4  Germany 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Knockout stage

In the knockout stage, extra time and a penalty shoot-out are used to decide the winners if necessary. As France qualified as hosts and England are ineligible for the 2024 Summer Olympics, their results will be used to determine whether an Olympic play-off match would be required and who would participate.[7]

Bracket

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
1 July – Boris Paichadze Stadium
 
 
 Georgia0 (3)
 
5 July – Adjarabet Arena
 
 Israel (p)0 (4)
 
 Israel0
 
2 July – Ramaz Shengelia Stadium
 
 England3
 
 England1
 
8 July – Adjarabet Arena
 
 Portugal0
 
 England1
 
1 July – Stadionul Rapid-Giulești
 
 Spain0
 
 Spain (a.e.t.)2
 
5 July – Stadionul Steaua
 
  Switzerland1
 
 Spain5
 
2 July – Cluj Arena
 
 Ukraine1
 
 France1
 
 
 Ukraine3
 

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2022

Qualifiers play-offs

23 September 2022 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification
Play-off 1st leg		 Republic of Ireland  1–1  Israel Tallaght Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
21:00 (Israel Summer Time)
  • Ferguson 65'
 Report
Attendance: 6,786
Referee: Dario Bel (Croatia)

1–1 on aggregate. Israel won 3–1 on penalties and qualified for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

2023

25 June 2023 (2023-06-25) UEFA European Under-21 Championship (Final tournament) England  2–0  Israel Kutaisi, Georgia
19:00 (Israel Summer Time)
Report Stadium: Ramaz Shengelia Stadium
Attendance: 5,106[9]
Referee: Rade Obrenović (Slovenia)

Coaching staff

Israel U21's last practice ahead of the 2023 UEFA Euros Under-21 qualifiers away match against Germany U21
As of 22 June 2023[2]
Position Name
Head Coach Israel Guy Luzon
Assistant Coach Israel Haim Cohen
Fitness Coach Israel Yossi Kakun
Israel Lidor Ganon
Goalkeeping Coach Israel Victor Buchnik
Analyst Israel Liron Glat

Players

Current squad

Bolded names denote players who have been capped for the senior team.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Tomer Tzarfati (2003-10-16) 16 October 2003 4 0 Israel Maccabi Netanya
18 1GK Niv Eliasi (2002-02-01) 1 February 2002 2 0 Israel Hapoel Be'er Sheva
2 2DF Guy Deznet (2005-11-01) 1 November 2005 3 0 Israel Macabi Petah Tikva
3 2DF Tal Archel (2003-06-10) 10 June 2003 2 0 Israel Hapoel Tel Aviv
5 2DF Denis Kulikov (2004-08-24) 24 August 2004 2 0 Israel Macabi Netanya
6 2DF Matan Levi (2002-02-19) 19 February 2002 1 0 Israel Macabi Netanya
12 2DF Hadar Fuchs (2003-12-13) 13 December 2003 2 0 Israel Macabi Petah Tikva
19 2DF Jonathan Mulder (2002-01-02) 2 January 2002 2 0 Netherlands TOP Oss
22 2DF Li On Mizrahi (2002-10-24) 24 October 2002 4 0 Israel Beitar Jerusalem
4 3MF Eitan Azulay (2002-05-26) 26 May 2002 14 0 Israel Maccabi Netanya
10 3MF Shalev Harush (2002-05-08) 8 May 2002 2 0 Israel F.C. Ashdod
11 3MF Roy Nawi (2004-03-04) 4 March 2004 1 0 Israel Hapoel Petah Tikva
13 3MF Ayano Preda (2002-04-29) 29 April 2002 3 0 Israel Hapoel Jerusalem
14 3MF Bassam Zarura (2002-11-13) 13 November 2002 1 0 Israel Maccabi Netanya
15 3MF Tai Abed (2004-08-03) 3 August 2004 3 0 Netherlands Jong PSV
16 3MF Ran Binyamin (2004-02-06) 6 February 2004 2 1 Israel Hapoel Tel Aviv
20 3MF Amir Ganah (2004-09-07) 7 September 2004 3 0 Israel Hapoel Be'er Sheva
21 3MF Adi Yona (2004-04-17) 17 April 2004 1 0 Israel Beitar Jerusalem
7 4FW Stav Nahmani (2002-01-20) 20 January 2002 7 2 Scotland St Mirren
8 4FW Or Roizman (2002-03-22) 22 March 2002 2 0 Israel Hapoel Jerusalem
9 4FW Bassel Khoury (2003-12-16) 16 December 2003 0 0 Israel Bnei Sakhnin
17 4FW Suf Podgoreanu (2002-01-20) 20 January 2002 8 1 Israel Maccabi Haifa
23 4FW Hamza Shibli (2004-08-19) 19 August 2004 1 0 Israel Maccabi Haifa

Recent call-ups

The following players have previously been called-up to the Israel under-21 squad in the last 12 months and remain eligible for selection.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Lior Gliklich (2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 0 0 Israel Hapoel Tel Aviv v.  Ukraine, 19 November 2022
GK Maor Erlich (2003-03-03) 3 March 2003 0 0 Israel F.C. Kafr Qasim v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
DF Noam Malmoud (2002-08-02) 2 August 2002 4 0 Israel Hapoel Jerusalem v.   Switzerland, 28 March 2023
DF Stav Lemkin (2003-04-02) 2 April 2003 11 1 Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk v.   Switzerland, 28 March 2023
DF Shaked Hakmon (2002-06-15) 15 June 2002 1 0 Israel F.C. Ashdod v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
DF Ilay Feingold (2004-08-23) 23 August 2004 1 0 Israel Macabi Haifa v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
MF Niv Gotlieb (2002-10-29) 29 October 2002 0 0 Israel Hapoel Hadera v.  Ukraine, 19 November 2022
MF Ilay Madmon (2003-02-23) 23 February 2003 0 0 Israel Hapoel Be'er Sheva v.  Ukraine, 19 November 2022
MF Noam Muche (2003-07-30) 30 July 2003 1 0 Israel F.C. Ashdod v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
MF El Yam Kancepolsky (2003-12-22) 22 December 2003 1 0 Israel Hapoel Tel Aviv v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
MF Ilay Madmon (2003-02-03) 3 February 2003 1 0 Israel Hapoel Be'er Sheva v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
FW Idan Gorno (2004-08-09) 9 August 2004 6 1 Israel Maccabi Petah Tikva v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
FW Dor Turgeman (2003-10-24) 24 October 2003 7 1 Israel MaccabiTel Aviv v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023
FW Mohammed Abu Rumi (2004-03-10) 10 March 2004 3 0 Israel Ironi Kiryat Shmona v.  Bulgaria, 12 September 2023

Records

Most capped players

Rank Player Club(s) Career U-21 Caps
1Arik BenadoMaccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem1992–199539
2Nir SiviliaMaccabi Tel Aviv, Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem1993–199734
2Shay HoltzmanMaccabi Netanya, Maccabi Haifa, Tzafririm Holon1992–199534
3Dekel KeinanMaccabi Haifa, Bnei Sakhnin, Maccabi Netanya2003–200730
4Alon HalfonMaccabi Netanya, Hapoel Haifa1993–199529
4Tom AlmadonMaccabi Haifa2004–200729
5Ofer TalkerMaccabi Ironi Ashdod, Hapoel Haifa1992–199528
6Ofir KopelMaccabi Haifa1994–199727
7Lior JanMaccabi Tel Aviv2006–200826
8Moshe OhayonAshdod2001–200524

Note: Club(s) represents the permanent clubs during the player's time in the Under-21s. Those players in bold are still eligible to play for the team.

Leading goalscorers

Rank Player Club(s) Career U-21 Goals
1Alon MizrahiBnei Yehuda Tel Aviv1992–199315
2Shay HoltzmanMaccabi Netanya, Maccabi Haifa, Tzafririm Holon1992–199514
3Mu'nas DabburMaccabi Tel Aviv, Grasshopper2011–201413
4Nir SiviliaMaccabi Tel Aviv, Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv, Beitar Jerusalem1993–199712
5Ben SaharChelsea, Espanyol2007–20108
5Maor BuzagloMaccabi Haifa, Hapoel Petah Tikva, Bnei Sakhnin, Maccabi Tel Aviv2007–20108
6Eli AbarbanelHapoel Petah Tikva1994–19997
6Amir TurgemanIroni Ashdod1992–19937

Note: Club(s) represents the permanent clubs during the player's time in the Under-21s. Those players in bold are still eligible to play for the team.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs publication The Flag and the Emblem Archived 2007-04-17 at the Wayback Machine by art historian Alec Mishory, wherein he quotes "The Provisional Council of State Proclamation of the Flag of the State of Israel" made on 28 October 1948 by Joseph Sprinzak, Speaker.
  2. 1 2 "Israel Football Association - U21 National Team - Team Staff".
  3. ↑ "Latvia-Israel | Under-21 2023".
  4. ↑ "Israel-San Marino | Under-21 2023".
  5. ↑ http://football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamAppearance.aspx?NATIONAL_TEAM_ID=943&PAGE_NUM=1
  6. ↑ http://football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamCaptivate.aspx?NATIONAL_TEAM_ID=943&PAGE_NUM=1
  7. ↑ "2021–23 UEFA European Under-21 Championship regulations". UEFA.
  8. ↑ "Germany vs. Israel" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "England vs. Israel" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Israel vs. Czech Republic" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Georgia vs. Israel" (JSON). Union of European Football Associations. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "עם נחמני ופודגוראנו: פורסם סגל הנבחרת הצעירה" (in Hebrew). The Sport Channel. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
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