Israel national football team

Mens national football team.

The Israel national football team, known in Hebrew as נבחרת ישראל בכדורגל (Nivḥeret Yīsrāʾēl BeḴaduregel), represents Israel in men's international football and is governed by the Israel Football Association (IFA). The team has been a member of UEFA since 1994 and has a rich history in international competitions. Their colors are blue and white, reflecting the national flag.

Israel qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 1970, where they earned two draws and a loss, finishing at the group stage. The team achieved notable success in the AFC Asian Cup, winning the tournament in 1964 and finishing as runners-up in 1968. However, after political tensions led to their expulsion from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1974, Israel transitioned to compete in UEFA and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) before fully joining UEFA.

The team's highest FIFA ranking was 15th, achieved in November 2008, while their lowest ranking was 99th in January 2018. As of October 2024, they are ranked 81st. Israel plays its home matches at various stadiums, including Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv and Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.

Yossi Benayoun holds the record for most caps with 101 appearances, while Eran Zahavi is the top scorer with 35 goals. The team has had memorable victories, including a historic win over France in 1993.

Under head coach Ran Ben Shimon, Israel continues to strive for success on both continental and global stages. Despite recent challenges in qualifying for major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, where they reached the play-offs but were eliminated, the team remains committed to improving its performance.