Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Full name	Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club
Nickname(s)	Maccabi (מכבי) The Yellows (הצהובים)
Founded	1906 (1906), as HaRishon LeZion-Yaffo
Ground	Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Ground Capacity	14,413[1]
President	Mitchell Goldhar
Manager	Pako Ayestarán
League	Israeli Premier League
2013–14	1st (Champions)
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל מכבי תל אביב‎; Moadon Kaduregel Maccabi Tel Aviv) is an Israeli football club and part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv sports club.

Founded in 1906 as the HaRishon Le Zion-Yafo Association, Maccabi Tel Aviv are the oldest, largest and most decorated football club in Israel. With the establishment of the city of Tel Aviv in 1909, the club changed their name to Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 1922 they became the first Jewish football club to participate in local competitions. The meaning of the name Maccabi – ‘Who is like thee among the gods’ – forms an integral part of the character of the team, which took the Star of David as their logo to represent the Jewish people. Maccabi Tel Aviv have won more titles than any other Israeli club, winning 20 League Championships (16 after Israeli independence), 22 prestigious State Cups (16 after Israeli independence), two AFC Champions League Cups and an additional three Toto (League) Cups.

Maccabi Tel Aviv are the only Israeli football team that have never been relegated and one of three Israeli teams ever to make it to the UEFA Champions League group stage. The club's name and values are steeped in Israeli history. The club are named after the Maccabees, an ancient Jewish rebel army, which became a symbol of the struggle of the Jewish people for over 2,000 years to retain their freedom, religion and sovereignty. The Maccabees spirit is based on values of excellence, loyalty and the desire to succeed.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC invest a great deal in the development and nurturing of young talent. The club's youth system operate football academies at three sites in the Tel Aviv area, working with over 750 children aged 6–15. The club also run 17 youth teams with 400 players between 9 and 19 years old. These teams tend to compete very successfully in local and national leagues.

History

Pre-independence

Durims decided to establish the Palestine League. In the same year the State Cup was founded under the name "People Cup". That same year, the first Tel Aviv derby was played, with Maccabi winning, 3–0. Maccabi won their first State Cup in 1929 after beating Maccabi HaShmonai. Maccabi won the State Cup for a second time in 1930, beating the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot 2–1, and a third in 1933, when Hapoel Tel Aviv were beaten, 1–0.

In 1936 the club was invited to play in the United States. On their way, Maccabi played in France, losing, 2–0, to Racing Paris and 3–1 to Lille. In the United States, Maccabi defeated the All-star team of New York City in front of 50,000 in Yankee Stadium. Maccabi also defeated the American Soccer League team in Brooklyn and Philadelphia on their home ground, 1–0, and also played in Canada, where they drew, 1–1, with Toronto All-Stars. Maccabi continued their tour in the USA and lost, 3–2, to St. Louis Stars and the Boston Celtics.

After returning from the United States, Maccabi players went on strike because they had not been paid. In 1937, after a year of strike action, the Football Association accepted their demands and the team ended their strike. In that year, Maccabi Tel Aviv also won their first league title. In 1939, after the start of World War II, Maccabi won their second championship. At the end of the season, Maccabi went to another tour, this time to Australia where they were advertised as the "Palestine" team and occasionally the Maccabi Palestine team. They played 18 games, winning 11, losing 5 and drawing 2. The games were against State sides (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia), regional sides and five "tests" against the Australian national team, winning one, drawing one and losing three.

In 1941 Maccabi won their first "double", Winning both the league and State Cup, beating Hapoel Tel Aviv, 2–1, in the final. Between 1941 and 1945 the league was suspended because of the war, but Maccabi continued playing friendly matches. In 1946, the league was still suspended but the State Cup returned with Maccabi beating Hapoel Rishon LeZion, 6–0, on aggregate in the final. In 1947 the league resumed, and Maccabi won it, and also reached the cup final. In the match against Beitar Tel Aviv at the Hatikva Neighborhood Stadium Maccabi were winning, 3–2, when the referee disallowed a goal by Beitar. The Beitar players and their supporters stormed at the referee and Yom-Tov Mansherov, defender of Beitar Tel Aviv, snapped the Cup. As a result, the referee ended the game and Maccabi were awarded a technical victory, thus winning a second double. Forty-five years later the cup was found in Petah Tikva.

The 50s

This decade is considered Maccabi Tel Aviv's "Golden Age", in which they won five championships and four Israel Football Association Cups. The "Golden Age" actually began with the establishment of the State of Israel, with Maccabi Tel Aviv winning the league title in the 1949–50 season. The deciding match of the season was the second Tel Aviv derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv, which Maccabi won, 1–0, thanks to a goal from striker Yosef "Yosale" Merimovich that sealed Maccabi Tel Aviv's first post-independence championship title. Merimovich was just one member of a squad of outstanding players that left Maccabi Tel Aviv unchallenged in their domination of the Israeli Premier League during the 1950s. That squad included the likes of defenders Itzhak Schneor and Eli Fuchs, goalkeeper Avraham Bandouri, striker Tzvika Stodinski and of course the club's legendary centre forward Yehoshua "Shiye" Glazer. Glazer, who won the top scorer title in 1952 with 27 goals, is considered Maccabi Tel Aviv's greatest ever striker and was the Club's highest goal scorer until Avi Nimni broke his record in 2003.

The 1951–52 season was Maccabi's second league title after the establishment of the State, which they won by eight points ahead of Maccabi Petah Tikva, though they lost the IFA Cup final. That loss only inspired them to win an historic first double in the 1953–54 season, once again winning the league ahead of Maccabi Petah Tikva. That year's Cup final provided them with the opportunity to put in one of their most devastating performances, crushing their opponents Maccabi Netanya, 4–0, with a brace from Glazer and individual goals from Stodinski and midfielder Israel Halivner.

It was the following season that the great Hapoel Petah Tikva team of midfielder Nahum Stelmach and associates burst on the scene and captured the championship from Maccabi Tel Aviv after a down to the wire finish. Still Maccabi Tel Aviv weren't prepared to surrender all the titles that season and came up trumps in a 3–1 victory over the same Hapoel Petah Tikva in the IFA Cup final. Maccabi went on to beat them to the title in two more seasons, 1955–56 and 1957–58, completing their fifth National Championship in the first decade of the modern state of Israel. That final season title was complemented by a double, with Maccabi beating Hapoel Haifa in the IFA Cup final, 2–0.

The following season Maccabi Tel Aviv won their second consecutive IFA Cup in a final that will be remembered as one of the most famous in the entire history of the competition. Maccabi appeared to be cruising to victory with a seemingly unassailable 4–0 lead just ten minutes from time. But within five of those final ten minutes Hapoel Petah Tikva pulled back three of those goals, guaranteeing one of the most exciting finales in IFA Cup history. But in the end Maccabi held on to celebrate yet another IFA Cup triumph.

The 60s

Following the "Golden Years" of the 1950s, Maccabi Tel Aviv found themselves as the new decade began challenged and ultimately eclipsed by the emergent HaPoel Petach Tikva, who during the late 1950s and early 1960s won five consecutive league titles. The second of those championships, in 1960, came at Maccabi's expense, with the Yellows leading the table on the last day of the season only to disappointingly lose their final match to Hapoel Haifa thereby handing the championship to Hapoel Petah Tikva. The outstanding player of Maccabi's season had been Rafi Levi, one of the greatest strikers in the club's history, who was the league's leading goal scorer with 19 goals. A year later the Brazilian club Santos visited Israel, along with their legendary player, Pelé, for a friendly match against a side composed of the best players from both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Petah Tikva. But even the combined forces of the two best clubs in the country were no match for the Brazilians, who won, 3–1.

After a number of unremarkable seasons, the 1960s saw the return of Maccabi Tel Aviv with one of their greatest coaches, Jerry Beit haLevi, who had served the club as a player in the 1930s and, with the exception of one year, managed the club for the ten years between 1947 and 1957. Under his guardianship Maccabi Tel Aviv slowly returned to form and in the 1963–64 season won the Israel Football Association Cup after a second replay against Hapoel Haifa, which Maccabi won, 2–1. The following season Maccabi Tel Aviv repeated the feat by exactly the same score, this time in a dramatic extra time victory over Bnei Yehuda that included goals by midfielders Moshe Asis and Rafi Baranes. In the 1966–67 season Maccabi added a third IFA Cup. This time the opponent in the final were city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv whom Maccabi defeated by the very same 2–1 score line, with goals from midfielder Uri Kedmi and striker Rachamim Talbi.

While the Cup competition was held as scheduled that year, the league was interrupted by the Six-Day War and was extended into 1968. Now coached by Israel Halivner, Maccabi Tel Aviv won their first and only championship of the decade after a combined 60 match weeks, leading Hapoel Petah Tikva by three points at the top of the Israel Premier League table. But by far the most memorable event of the decade was Maccabi's success in the AFC Champions League in 1969, the first Israeli football club to win an international competition in the country's history. Now managed by former striking great Yossele Merimovich, Maccabi beat South Korean side Yangzee FC in extra time through a goal by striker Dror Bar Nur.

A less successful decade for Maccabi Tel Aviv perhaps, but the club still managed to win one championship and three Israel Football Association Cups. Among the great names of the decade were midfielder Nissim Bachar, defender Meir Nimni, defender Menachem "Miko" Bello, defender Tzvika Rosen, goalkeeper Haim Levin, midfielder Moshe Asis, striker Rafi Levi and midfielder Giora Spiegel.

The 70s

By Maccabi Tel Aviv standards, the 1960s had not been a particularly successful decade. With the coming of the 1970s, all that was about to change. The very first year of the decade was a stellar indication of that change as the team, under the able leadership of the late David Schweitzer, won an historic double. The Israeli Football Association (IFA) Cup final was won with a 2–1 victory over Maccabi Netanya. The league title on the other hand was ensured only on goal difference, but one that was built in part upon one of the finest performances in the club's history, a 5–0 thrashing of city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Tel Aviv derby. On a rainy day at the end of January 1970, 20,000 spectators saw Maccabi midfielder Giora Shpiegel score a hat-trick to lead his side to an unforgettable victory. But despite that defeat, Hapoel stayed neck-and-neck with Maccabi until the very last week and it was Hapoel who found themselves in second place on goal difference when the season reached its conclusion.

The following season was a weak one for Maccabi Tel Aviv that saw them finish tenth in the league table. But just one year later they were fully back on track winning their second championship of the decade in the 1971–72 season. One of the stars of that season, and one of the greatest strikers in the club's history, was Dror Bar Nur, who scored 16 of the club's 45 goals in the league and added two more in other competitions.

Just four years later Maccabi Tel Aviv found themselves for the first time in a relegation battle, with the final week of the 1975–76 season seeing no less than nine clubs battling it out to stay in the upper tier. Maccabi beat Beitar Jerusalem, 2–0, with goals from strikers Rachamim Talbi and Benny Tabak, thus escaping what would have been the first drop in the club's history. In April of that same year, leaders of the English Football League First Division, Queens Park Rangers, arrived in Israel for a friendly to face a Maccabi Tel Aviv side bolstered by three of the Israeli Premier League's brightest stars of the time: Maccabi Netanya strikers Mordechai "Motaleh" Spiegler and Oded Machnes and Beitar Jerusalem midfielder Uri Malmilian. Maccabi won the match, 2–1, with goals from Malmilian and Spiegler.

A year later and once again Maccabi Tel Aviv went from near disaster to the league summit, securing in the 1976/77 season their second double of the decade. They won the title three points ahead of Maccabi Jaffa and with 47 goals, the highest number in the league. Striker Vicky Peretz finished as the league's leading goal scorer with 17 league goals and another five in IFA Cup competition. But it was Benny Tabak's lone goal against Beitar Tel Aviv in front of 30,000 spectators at Bloomfield Stadium that earned Maccabi the IFA Cup and their second double in the space of seven years.

Among the great Maccabi players of the time were strikers Benny Tabak and Vicky Peretz and the late Avi Cohen, who earned the nickname "Libero" (from the Italian, a fullback who is given freedom – libero – to roam from his position to play a role in offence as well) and is thought to be one of the greatest defenders in the history of Israeli football. One of his most memorable goals was in a 2–0 derby victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv in 1978, when the defender struck an absolutely unstoppable ball from the edge of the area straight into the opposition net. Vicky Peretz and Benny Tabak are remembered as two of the greatest strikers in the history of the club, with the former scoring 67 and the latter 121 goals in the yellow and blue jersey of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The 80s

The 1980s saw a period of below par achievements for Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, earning the decade the nickname the "thin years". While adding two Israel Football Association (IFA) Cups to the trophy cabinet, the club remained without a league title throughout the decade. The first of the two consecutive IFA Cup triumphs, however, was won in dramatic fashion in a final against Maccabi Haifa in the 1986–87 season. While Maccabi Tel Aviv, third in the table, finished six places above their northern namesakes, the Cup final was a tight affair that ended, 3–3, after extra time and was decided in a penalty shoot-out. And it was striker Benny Tabak's final kick that saw Maccabi Tel Aviv lift their first IFA Cup in ten years.

The following season Maccabi Tel Aviv, now under the stewardship of Giora Spiegel, underwent their worst defeat in the club's history, a 0–10 rout suffered at the hands of that same Maccabi Haifa. Yet only three weeks later the club appeared in their second consecutive intriguing IFA Cup final, this time against their arch big city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv. Despite the fresh memories of their lacklustre performance in Haifa the team succeeded in returning to form thanks to a wonderful goal by midfielder Mickey Cohen and yet another from Benny Tabak that led to a 2–1 victory and a second straight IFA Cup title.

Another memorable event of the 1980s occurred at the beginning of the decade, in a match against Beitar Jerusalem held at the YMCA Stadium in Jerusalem in the second matchweek of the 1981–82 season. The match referee Avraham Klein, of international reputation, disallowed a Beitar goal but the players continued to celebrate. Maccabi defender Menahem "Miko" Belo quickly resumed play, passed on to midfielder Moti Ivanir who found himself facing the Beitar keeper Yossi Mizrachi on his own. To the great ire of the local fans he scored the goal that would ultimately lead to a 1–2 Maccabi victory.

Despite the less than scintillating nature of Maccabi's performances throughout the decade, the club was blessed with a number of outstanding players, including Moti Ivanir, midfielder Alon Natan, goalkeeper Bonni Ginzburg and striker Eli Driks who succeeded in leaving their mark on the club's history. Ivanir, who made his maiden performance for Maccabi aged 16, scored 67 times playing for the club throughout the decade, with the exception of the two years he spent at Dutch side Roda JC Kerkrade. Alon Natan found the net 40 times before leaving the club for Bnei Yehuda at the end of the 1989–90 season. He was subsequently forced into retirement at age 23 due to injury.

Bonni Ginzburg protected the Maccabi goal from the beginning of the decade until the 1987–88 season. He earned himself a place on the national squad and two years later became the first Israeli goalkeeper to play abroad. Eli Driks, one of the club's all-time greatest strikers, came through the youth ranks at the beginning of the 1980s and began a successful career at the fulcrum of the Maccabi Tel Aviv attack that lasted 20 years.

The 90s

After the considerably less than spectacular decade of the 1980s, a young head coach by the name of Avram Grant took over the reins at Maccabi Tel Aviv and brought with him a whole slew of young players that together brought about one of the most successful decades in the club's history. By the time the decade had reached its halfway point the team had already won an historic "double" along with two more championships, two State Cups and one Toto (League) Cup, to which two more would be added before the decade had drawn to a close. Within a matter of a few short years, the glow surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv, which had dimmed somewhat in the 80's, had returned and once again the yellow and blue of Maccabi became the national colours of Israel's football culture.

It all started in the 1991–92 season, when by virtue of exceptional talent and quality attacking football under the leadership of Avraham Grant, Maccabi Tel Aviv won the league championship for the first time in thirteen years. What contributed to this talent was, among other things, the arrival at the club of the Russian national goalkeeper Alexander Ubarov, who in time became a real Maccabi Tel Aviv legend. With him arrived defender Alexander Polukarov, who also left an enduring mark at the club and together with midfielder Uri Malmilyan and the young midfielders Avi Nimni and Itzik Zohar returned Maccabi Tel Aviv to the top of Israeli football. In the 1992–93 season, after winning the Toto (League) Cup, this talented and successful group of young players of the 90's got their first taste of victory in the prestigious State Cup after goals by Itsik Zohar and fellow midfielder Nir Klinger decided the final against arch rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv. But despite finishing an excellent season with 88 points, the league title, and hence an historic "double", remained beyond their grasp as Maccabi Haifa enjoyed a spectacular season that saw them play all 39 league matches without a loss and pip Maccabi Tel Aviv to the championship. But the following season Grant and his charges compensated for their disappointment when defender Alon Brumer's famous goal in Beer Sheva succeeded in returning the championship to Maccabi Tel Aviv in dramatic fashion.

At the end of the 1995 season the "Mofet" Group took control of Maccabi Tel Aviv and as a result of Avraham Grant's decision to leave the club, a new coach, Dror Kashtan, took over the reins for what would prove to be one of the best seasons in the club's history. Their chief rivals were once again Maccabi Haifa, and the team traveled to their Kiryat Eliezer Stadium for what will always be remembered as the must-win match of that season. As the players headed for the dressing room trailing 1–0 at half time, coach Kashtan controversially decided to return his players to await their Maccabi Haifa rivals on the pitch. In the second half, goals by striker Eli Dricks and midfielders Nir Klinger and Avi Nimni turned the match around, and that 1–3 victory not only handed Maccabi Tel Aviv the championship but also paved the way for the "double" after a 4–1 thrashing of Hapoel Rishon Lezion in the State Cup final.

With Israel's entrance into European football in 1992, Maccabi Tel Aviv also turned their attention to leaving their mark in this prestigious competition as well. The 1992–93 season marked the first time Maccabi Tel Aviv competed in UEFA Champions League qualifiers and in the first round they defeated the Maltese club Valletta but lost to Belgian side Club Brugge in the second round. In the 1994–95 season, Maccabi were knocked out in the second round of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup by German side Werder Bremen on a 2–0 aggregate. The following season Maccabi once again tried their luck in the Champions League qualifiers and almost succeeded, but a 2–1 aggregate loss to the Swiss club Grasshoppers handed the latter the keys to the group stages. In 1996 it was the powerful Turkish side Fenerbahçe that stood between Maccabi and the group stages and in the resultant UEFA Cup competition they encountered, and subsequently lost to, the Spanish club Tenerife. In the 1999–00 season, Maccabi got past Lithuanian opponents FBK Kaunas in the UEFA Cup qualifiers but then lost to French competitors Lens 4–3 on aggregate in round one.

In the 1990s Maccabi Tel Aviv were blessed with many talented players, among them defenders Amir Shelach and the Brumer brothers Gadi and Alon, midfielder Noam Shoham and strikers Meir Melika and Nir Sivilia. Leading the team into battle was the genius of captain Nir Klinger, the free-kick artistry of Itzik Zohar and perhaps the greatest player in Maccabi Tel Aviv's history, midfielder Avi Nimni. In 1997 the "Mofet" Group broke up and the club was taken over by Loni Herzikovich.

2000 and Beyond

With a particularly attacking style of football promoted by head coach Nir Klinger, the second millennium got off to a very good start for Maccabi Tel Aviv, who won two consecutive coveted State Cups. The first came in the 2000–01 season, one that saw Maccabi finish just fourth in the table but with the highest number of goals of any club in the Israeli Premier League, 71. Particularly memorable was Maccabi's 7–0 demolition of Beitar Jerusalem towards the end of the season and the jaw-dropping total of 10 goals to just one reply against Hapoel Rishon Lezion in January of that same year. It was that exceptional attacking prowess that resulted in Maccabi's receiving the State Cup from the country's president after a 3–0 victory over Maccabi Petah Tikva in the final.

The following season will largely be remembered for the tragic event that occurred on the 26th of January 2002 during a match against Beitar Jerusalem. Without a preceding incident, Maccabi defender Meni Levi suddenly collapsed in the middle of the pitch, picked himself up and then collapsed again. He received treatment on the pitch for quite a long time before being rushed to a hospital. The game, in the meantime, was not resumed. For a number of years Levi received treatment at the rehabilitation facility Beit Levinstein in Ra'anana but unfortunately was unable to recover and was returned to his family. Subsequently the club decided to retire Levi's number twelve jersey entirely. As the year progressed the team succeeded in recovering from this tragic incident and ended the season with their second State Cup title in as many years. In the final, Maccabi Tel Aviv won a penalty shoot-out against that season's champion, Maccabi Haifa, after extra time saw the two sides locked in a goalless draw.

The following season Maccabi Tel Aviv won a dramatic league championship from title rivals Maccabi Haifa. On the eve of the last day of the season, head coach Nir Klinger's lads led the league table on goal difference alone. On the day itself Maccabi Haifa led 0-5 at half time against Ashdod while Maccabi were still looking for their first goal against Hapoel Petah Tikva. Only in the second half did they score the three goals (to no reply) that pushed their goal difference past Maccabi Haifa and brought the Championship plate back to the Maccabi Tel Aviv trophy cabinet.

Maccabi's most significant achievement of the decade came in the 2004/05 season when the team reached the group stages of the Champions League. In the play-off stages they beat the Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki and became Israel's second club, after Maccabi Haifa two years earlier, to reach the group stages. There they were drawn against three giants of European football, the German Bayern Munich, the Italian Juventus and the Dutch Ajax. Nonetheless Maccabi succeeded in finishing the group stage with a precious four points after beating Ajax and drawing with Juventus at home. Paradoxically they ended an unstable league season eighth in the table but once again came away with the State Cup after winning a penalty shoot-out in a final against Maccabi Herzliya that ended 2–2 after extra time.

After this third State Cup in five seasons, Maccabi's fortunes dipped drastically and other clubs took turns winning the league and the Cup. The 2005–06 season will be remembered in particular, earning the nickname "the Galacticos season", for a team that brought together the likes of Israeli international Eyal Berkovic, Croatian star Đovani Roso and Maccabi all-time great Avi Nimni. Despite the star-studded squad, Maccabi failed to translate that quality into winning form and ended the season in the bottom half of the table. In the 2010–11 season Maccabi enjoyed one moment of glory in Europe, beating a strong Greek Olympiacos side 1–0 in the home leg of the UEFA Europa League qualifiers. The victory sent Maccabi into the first round of the competition where, despite an exciting 4–3 victory in the home leg, Maccabi failed to surpass French giants Paris Saint-Germain after a 2–0 loss in the French capital. The following season Maccabi claimed a famous victory against Greek side Panathinaikos, beating them 3–0 at Bloomfield Stadium in the qualifying stages of the Europa League. It was a year Maccabi actually did succeed in reaching the group stage of the competition but collected just two points in a group that contained Turkish side Beşiktaş, the Ukrainians Dynamo Kyiv and the English Stoke City.

The 2012–13 season finally put an end to Maccabi Tel Aviv's bad fortunes in the league as they won their first championship in a decade. Under the stewardship of Spanish head coach Óscar García, Maccabi dominated the league unchallenged and claimed the title by thirteen points ahead of their nearest rival. They finished the season with the league's highest goal total of 78 while conceding the fewest with just 30 goals conceded. Leading that attack was the league's highest goal scorer, striker Eliran Atar with 22, but he was joined by midfielder Maharan Radi with eight (plus eleven assists), young striker Moanes Dabour with ten and Swedish striker Rade Prica (eight) and midfielder Eran Zahavi (seven) who both arrived at the club in the January transfer window. In defence the tone was set by Maccabi's two centre halves, Eitan Tibi and the Spaniard Carlos García, backed up by the excellence of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Nigerian goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama.

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt partner
2014–present	Adidas	None
2013–14	Macron	None
2011–13	Under Armor	None
2010–11	Puma	Paygea
2009–10	Kappa	Paygea
2008–09	Diadora	Chevrolet
2007–08		Cellcom
2006–07		Sony Bravia
2005–06		Resido
2001–05		Bezeq
2000–01	Adidas	Bezeq
1999–00		Sony
1998–99		Visa
1993–98	Diadora	Visa
1991–93		Raffels
1990–91		First International Bank of Israel
1987–88	Puma	Delta Textile
1982–87		Baruch Fashion
1978–79	Umbro	Goldstar

Supporters and rivals

Maccabi has one main fan organization, "Maccabi Fanatics" . they are located in Gate 11. Maccabi Fanatics as an organization involves in many ways. Maccabi Fanatics are close friends with VAK410 (Ajax ultras) since the 2000s.

Maccabi's main rivals are Hapoel Tel Aviv. The matches between the teams gain a lot of attention in the Israeli public and are referred to as the "Big Tel Aviv derby" (as opposed to the "Small Tel Aviv derby", matches between Bnei Yehuda and Maccabi or Hapoel). Other rivalries include, to a lesser extent, those with Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Haifa.

A survey conducted in March 2012 by Yedioth showed that Maccabi Tel Aviv was the second most popular team among Israeli football fans (23%). Same survey revealed that 33% of Tel Aviv residents support the team.^[2]

Stadium & Training Ground

Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv Yafo is Maccabi Tel Aviv's home ground and seats approximately 14,500 fans. The Stadium has been recently upgraded to allow the spectators to enjoy improved seating and a better game experience.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv Training Ground is located in south Tel Aviv, near the Holon Intersection and on the outskirts of the Kiryat Shalom neighbourhood. The various Maccabi Tel Aviv teams began practicing at the complex in the mid 1970s, starting with the Youth Division teams, and joined later by the senior team. The facility consists of four pitches that serve all the Maccabi Tel Aviv teams and includes two gyms, treatment rooms and classrooms. The senior team practice at the western facility, near the locker rooms, on an area one and a half times larger than a regular football pitch, with renovated terraces that seat approximately 100 fans.

On the 6th of March 2012, the Youth Division Complex was officially re-dedicated in the name of the late Avi Cohen.

Not far from the senior team's training ground is a synthetic pitch, one of the first of its kind in Israel, which serves as the training ground for all the teams in the Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division. At the northern end of the complex is the central pitch of the Youth Division, lined by two terraces with a seating capacity of over 200 and equipped for television broadcasts. The central pitch is used primarily by the Maccabi Tel Aviv Under-19 squad, but the club's youth teams also make use of the facility. The fourth and smallest of the pitches is the eastern one, used mainly for training and frequently for matches of the children's teams. The Youth Division complex has ten dressing rooms, one of which is used by visiting teams and one extra room for the referees on match days. During the 2011–12 season an exercise room was also built on the ground for the use of the entire Youth Division.

Current squad

First Team

As of 27 July 2014^[3] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Barak Levi 3 DF Yuval Spungin 6 MF Gal Alberman (1st VC) 7 MF Eran Zahavi 9 MF Maharan Radi 10 FW Barak Yitzhaki 11 FW Tal Ben Haim 14 DF Yoav Ziv 15 MF Dor Micha 17 MF Dan Einbinder 18 DF Eitan Tibi 20 DF Omri Ben Harush

No. Position Player 21 DF Sheran Yeini (Captain) 22 FW Rade Prica 23 FW Barak Badash 24 MF Nikola Mitrović 25 GK Juan Pablo 28 MF Gil Vermouth 30 FW Gael Margulies 31 DF Carlos García 40 MF Nosa Igiebor 42 MF Dor Peretz 99 FW Eden Ben Basat

Retired numbers

• 08 – Avi Nimni, Second striker (1990–97, 1998–03, 2005–08)
• 12 – Meni Levi, Right back

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player GK Tomer Chencinski (at Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon) DF Yagil Biton (at Hapoel Jerusalem) DF Reef Peretz (at Hapoel Petah Tikva) DF Osher Abu (at Hapoel Jerusalem) DF Dean Akafi (at Maccabi Herzliya) DF Amash Mantzur (at Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan) DF Omer Vered (at Hapoel Haifa) MF Sharon Ziso (at Beitar Tel Aviv Ramla) MF Lior Jan (at Maccabi Yavne) MF Ruslan Breski (at Hapoel Jerusalem)

No. Position Player MF Ben Ben Yair (at Maccabi Petah Tikva) MF Hasan Abu Zaid (at Hapoel Petah Tikva) MF Omri Altman (at Hapoel Petah Tikva) MF Daniel Gertz (at Maccabi Yavne) MF Moshe Lugasi (at Maccabi Petah Tikva) FW Lanry Kahinda (at Hapoel Afula) FW Omri Perl (at Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan) FW Dor Jan (at Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona) MF Ben Reichert (at Hapoel Tel Aviv) DF Sean Goldberg (at Hapoel Tel Aviv)

Foreigners 2014–15

Only up to five non-Israeli nationals can be in an Israeli club squad. Those with Jewish ancestry (e.g., Tomer Chencinski), married to an Israeli or have played in Israel for an extended period of time, can claim a passport or permanent residency which would allow them to play with Israeli status.

• Nosa Igiebor
• Nikola Mitrović
• Carlos García
• Juan Pablo
• Rade Prica

Youth Team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 3 MF Shaked Azulay 4 DF Omer Pirov 5 DF Shachar Fiban 6 MF Dan Glazer 7 MF Matan Hozez 8 MF Eliel Peretz 9 FW Raz Itzhak 11 FW Yonatan Cohen 12 MF Sohil Armeli 13 GK Haviv Ohayon 14 DF Saar Kalderon 15 DF Ofek Barzani 16 MF Maxim Grechkin

No. Position Player 17 DF Guy Aviv 18 DF Idan Yogev 19 MF Yossi Salelich 20 FW Mavis Tchibota 22 GK Eliad Graf 23 MF Omri Haramati 24 DF Daniel Rahimi 25 FW Ben Shugal 33 MF Rani Hamza 41 GK Sahar Hasson 69 FW Gabriel Kanikovski 77 FW Stav Ben Aharon 99 FW Dor Galili

Honours

• Israeli championships
  • Winners (20):^[4] 1935–36, 1936–37,1941–42, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1966–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2012–13, 2013–14
  • Runner-ups (9): 1954–55, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2003–04
• Tel Aviv District championship
  • Winners (1):^[4] 1939^[5]
• State Cup
  • Winners (22):^[6] 1929, 1930, 1933, 1941, 1946, 1947, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1976–77, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2004–05
  • Runner-ups (11): 1934, 1938, 1940, 1951–52, 1961–62, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1996–97
• AFC Champions League
  • Winners (2): 1968–69, 1970–71
• Toto Cup
  • Winners (4): 1992–93, 1998–99, 2008–09, 2014–15
  • Runner-ups (3): 1991–92, 1994–95, 1997–98
• Israeli Supercup
  • Winners (5):^[7] 1964–65 (shared cup with Hakoah Ramat Gan), 1967–68, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1987–88
  • Runner-ups (1): 1969–70

Records

• Seasons in top division – 65 (1949–present), (only team that has never been relegated)
• Lowest league position – 12 (1987–88)
• Win record for season – 30 (1966–68)
• Loss record for season – 13 (1999–00)
• Most points in a season – 88 (1993–94)
• Most goals in a season (club) – 103 (1949–50)
• Most goals in a season (player) – 29, Eran Zahavi, 2013–14
• Biggest win – 13–0 vs Maccabi Rishon LeZion, 1950
• Biggest defeat – 10–0 vs Maccabi Haifa, 1988
• Biggest home win – 13–0 vs Maccabi Rishon LeZion, 1950
• Biggest home defeat – 4–0 vs Hapoel Acre, 2006
• Biggest away win – 7–0 vs Hapoel Haifa, 1994
• Biggest away defeat – 10–0 vs Maccabi Haifa, 1988
• All-time top scorer – Avi Nimni, 174
• All-time most appearances – Menachem Bello, 498

Notable players

Gal Alberman Eliran Atar Marco Balbul Tal Banin Jerry Beit haLevi Menachem Bello Dedi Ben Dayan Tal Ben Haim Eyal Berkovic Alon Brumer Gadi Brumer Maor Buzaglo Avi Cohen Tamir Cohen Moanes Dabour Baruch Dego Eli Driks Robert Earnshaw

Vincent Enyeama Carlos García Bonni Ginzburg Yehoshua Glazer Rodrigo Goldberg Ferenc Horváth Guillermo Israilevich Motti Ivanir Lior Jan Michael Kadosh David Karako Nir Klinger Meho Kodro Alexei Kosolapov Andrzej Kubica Meni Levi Rafi Levi Haim Levin

Ben Luz Uri Malmilian Yosef Merimovich Erez Mesika Moshe Mishaelof Kobi Musa Avi Nimni John Paintsil Vicky Peretz Aleksandr Polukarov Rade Prica Andrejs Prohorenkovs Maharan Radi Zvi Rosen Đovani Roso Amir Schelach Itzhak Schneor Yossi Shivhon

Noam Shoham Giora Spiegel Yuval Spungin Liran Strauber Avi Strool Beni Tabak Rachamim Talbi Eitan Tibi Guy Tzarfati Aleksandr Uvarov Sheran Yeini Barak Yitzhaki Eran Zahavi Yoav Ziv Itzik Zohar

Staff

Management Position Staff Owner Mitchell Goldhar CEO Martin Bain Last updated: Feb 27, 2014 Source: F.C. Maccabi Tel Aviv Official Website

First Team Staff Position Staff Sports Director Jordi Cruyff Head Coach Pako Ayestarán Assistant Coach David Caneda Perez Assistant Coach Jose Viela Urtasun Assistant Coach Kobi Alfasi Goalkeeping Coach Aleksandr Uvarov Head Fitness Coach Juan Torrijo Fitness Coach Yossi Zigdon Professional Assistant Domingo Marin Last updated: Feb 27, 2014 Source: F.C. Maccabi Tel Aviv Official Website

Youth Division Position Staff Director of Football Nir Levin General Manager Ariel Avram U-19 Head Coach Ziv Arie U-19 Assistant Coach Gili Landau U-19 Assistant Coach Boaz Bracha Last updated: Feb 27, 2014 Source: F.C. Maccabi Tel Aviv Official Website

Logistical Staff Position Staff First Team Manager Beni Tabak Foreign Staff Liaison Shlomi Abramov Kit Manager Boaz Rimon Kit Manager David Tzahi Last updated: Feb 27, 2014 Source: F.C. Maccabi Tel Aviv Official Website

Medical Staff Position Staff Orthopedic Specialist Dr. Michal Goldwirt Club Physician Dr. Ehud Kaufman Sports Psychologist Noam Eyal Head Physiotherapist Nimrod Mahler Physiotherapist Robi Toledo Physiotherapist Amit Tzelah Dietitian Ron Almosni Masseur Ofir Mann Last updated: Feb 27, 2014 Source: F.C. Maccabi Tel Aviv Official Website

Scouting Position Staff Head Scout Amir Turgeman First Team Roni (Bambi) Meir Sharon Region(Israel) Viki Glam Central Region(Israel) Doron Israeli Southern Region(Israel) Nissim Avitan Northern Region(Israel) Elad Baron Last updated: Feb 27, 2014 Source: F.C. Maccabi Tel Aviv Official Website

Managerial History

Emanuel Gur-Arie (1910s) Shimon Ratner (192?–34) Egon Pollack (1934–39) Armin Weiss (1939–41) Egon Pollack (1941–47) Jerry Beit haLevi (1947–52) Gaul Mechlis (1952–53) Jerry Beit haLevi (1953–57) Yosef Tessler (1957–59) Yosef Merimovich (1959–61) Ignac Molnár (1961–62) Israel Chlibner (1962–62) Slabolo Stankovic & Jery Bet-Halevy (1962–64) Eliezer Spiegel (1966–67) Zvi Erlich (1967–67) Israel Chlibner (1967–68) Yosef Merimovich (1968–69) David Schweitzer (1969–70) Israel Chlibner (1970–71)

Itzhak Schneor (1971–72) Yosef Merimovich (1972–73) Itzhak Schneor (1973–76) Ya'akov Grundman (1976–77) Shmulik Perlman (1977–78) Nissim Bachar (1978–79) Zvi Rozen (1979–80) Ze'ev Seltzer (1980–81) Ya'akov Grundman (1981–82) Nissim Bachar (1982–83) David Schweitzer (1983–85) Itzhak Schneor (1983–85) Shimon Shenhar (1985–87) Giora Spiegel & Dror Bar-Nur (1987–88) Yosef Merimovich (1988–89) Nissim Bachar (1989–90) Zvi Rosen (1990–91) Avram Grant (July 1, 1991–June 30, 1995) Dror Kashtan (July 1, 1995–June 30, 1996)

Avram Grant (July 1, 1996–June 30, 2000) Shlomo Sharf (2000) Nir Levine (2000–02) Nir Klinger (July 1, 2002–Dec 5, 2005) Ton Caanen (Dec 25, 2005–May 30, 2006) Eli Cohen (2006–07) Nir Levine (2007–08) Ran Ben Shimon (2008) M. Balbul coach under A. Nimni (July 1, 2008–Oct 21, 2009) Nir Levine coach under Avi Nimni (2009–10) Y. Mizrahi coach under A. Nimni (July 1, 2010–Jan 4, 2011) Itzik Ovadia (2011), (caretaker) Motti Ivanir (Jan 10, 2011–Dec 6, 2011) Nir Levine (caretaker) (Dec 12, 2011–May 13, 2012) Óscar García (June 23, 2012–May 22, 2013) Paulo Sousa (June 12, 2013–May 27, 2014) Óscar García (June 2, 2014–Aug 26, 2014) Pako Ayestarán (Aug 26, 2014–)

See also

• Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in Europe
• Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. players

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maccabi Tel Aviv (Association football).

• Club website
• Club Official Facebook page
• The 12th Player
• Ultras Maccabi 96

Achievements
Preceded by Hapoel Tel Aviv	Champions of Asia 1969	Succeeded by Taj
Preceded by Taj	Champions of Asia 1971	Succeeded by Daewoo Royals

Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club Honours Players Managers Records Current season History History of Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in European football Home stadium Bloomfield Stadium Related articles Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. (women) Tel Aviv derby

Israeli Premier League Clubs Beitar Jerusalem Bnei Sakhnin F.C. Ashdod Hapoel Acre Hapoel Be'er Sheva Hapoel Haifa Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Ra'anana Hapoel Tel Aviv Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Petah Tikva Maccabi Tel Aviv Stadiums Acre Stadium Bloomfield Stadium Doha Stadium Ironi Stadium Sammy Ofer Stadium HaMoshava Stadium Netanya Stadium Teddy Stadium Vasermil Stadium Yud-Alef Stadium Former clubs Bnei Yehuda Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan Hapoel Ashkelon Hapoel Jerusalem Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Rishon LeZion Hapoel Nazareth Illit Hapoel Tzafririm Holon Hapoel Ramat HaSharon Maccabi Ahi Nazareth Maccabi Herzliya Maccabi Kiryat Gat Competition Champions Foreign players Records All-time table Seasons 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15

Asian Club Championship and AFC Champions League winners Asian Champion Club Tournament 1967: Hapoel Tel Aviv 1969: Maccabi Tel Aviv 1970: Taj 1971: Maccabi Tel Aviv Asian Club Championship 1985–86: Daewoo Royals 1986: Furukawa Electric 1987: Yomiuri 1988–89: Al-Sadd 1989–90: Liaoning 1990–91: Esteghlal 1991: Al-Hilal 1992–93: PAS Tehran 1993–94: Thai Farmers Bank 1994–95: Thai Farmers Bank 1995: Ilhwa Chunma 1996–97: Pohang Steelers 1997–98: Pohang Steelers 1998–99: Júbilo Iwata 1999–2000: Al-Hilal 2000–01: Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2001–02: Suwon Samsung Bluewings AFC Champions League 2002–03: Al-Ain 2004: Al-Ittihad 2005: Al-Ittihad 2006: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2007: Urawa Red Diamonds 2008: Gamba Osaka 2009: Pohang Steelers 2010: Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma 2011: Al-Sadd 2012: Ulsan Hyundai 2013: Guangzhou Evergrande 2014: Western Sydney Wanderers