| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Abraham Zahavi | ||
| Date of birth | 21 January 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Los Angeles, California, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Winger, Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Vitória Setúbal (on loan from Maccabi Haifa) |
||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Hapoel Haifa | ||
| 1999–2002 | Benfica | ||
| 2002–2004 | Arsenal | ||
| 2005–2007 | Barcelona | ||
| 2007–2010 | Sporting CP | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2010– | Maccabi Haifa | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | → Hapoel Acre (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2011– | → Vitória Setúbal | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2007 | Portugal U-17 | 3 | (3) |
| 2010 | United States U-20 | 2 | (1) |
| 2011– | Israel U-21 | 3 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Alexander "Alex" Abraham Zahavi (born January 21, 1991) is a soccer player currently playing for Portuguese club Vitória F.C. on loan from Maccabi Haifa. Zahavi was born in the United States but is the son of a Portuguese mother and Israeli father. He has represented Portugal at the U17 level but he is considering switching federations so he can represent the United States.[1] He is the great nephew of football agent Pini Zahavi. Zahavi is a winger who plays on the left side of midfield, even though he is right-footed.
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Zahavi has played in the youth system for Hapoel Haifa, Benfica, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Sporting Clube de Portugal.
He started out playing in the Hapoel Haifa system at the age of seven, but due to the league not allowing players under the age of nine to participate, his family decided to move to Lisbon so he could improve his skills. During a return trip to Israel in 2002 for a youth tournament, a scout from Arsenal invited him to London for a trial. After his first day, the club offered him a contract and he stayed with the team for two years. After a tournament in 2004, he moved to Barcelona where he was offered a three-year contract with a possible seven-year extension.[2]
In 2007, Zahavi decided to move to Sporting Clube de Portugal because he felt he had a better chance of making their first squad.[3]
On July 16, 2010, Zahavi joined Maccabi Haifa on trial trying to impress Elisha Levy. On July 26 he was presented as a Maccabi Haifa player after he signed a contract with the club.
Zahavi joined Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Acre in February 2011 on loan for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.[4]
On July 7, Maccabi Haifa announced that they extended Zahavi's contract through the 2015 season, and are loaning him to Portuguese top flight team Vitória de Setúbal for the 2011–12 season.[5]
Zahavi has represented Portugal at various youth levels but has not been called into the senior team. Because he played in an official UEFA U17[6] qualifying tournament for Portugal, he is currently tied to their national team under FIFA eligibility rules.[7] However, since he is also eligible to play for Israel or the United States, he can request a one-time only switch with FIFA.[8]
Zahavi was called up to the United States U-20's team in November, 2010 for the Torneo de las Americas.[9]
On 20 February 2011, Zahavi was called in for his first Israel U-21 camp.[10] Three days later Zahavi played in a friendly with the under-21 side against FC Arsenal Kyiv.[11] In March 2011, Zahavi was brought in for another training camp.[12] On 17 March 2011 Zahavi was named to the under-21 side for a tournament in Austria.[13] Zahavi made his debut for the side in a friendly against Georgia on 23 March 2011.[14] Zahavi scored his first goal for the under-21 side in a friendly against Romania on 26 March 2011 in Austria.[15] Zahavi floated the ball over the Romanian goalkeeper from 35 metres out after exchanging passes with Nes Zamir.[15]
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Israel | League | Israel State Cup | Toto Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2010–11 | Maccabi Haifa | Liga Al | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Hapoel Acre (loan) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
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