The Israel national football team has represented Israel in international association football since 1934, when it played its first official game (as Mandatory Palestine or Eretz Israel—"Land of Israel") against Egypt.[1] It is fielded by the Israel Football Association (IFA), which has governed football in the country since 1928,[2] and has borne its present name since the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948. Israel competed as a member of the Asian Football Confederation from 1956 until 1974, when it was expelled for political reasons;[2] it then played without formal affiliation to any regional bloc for two decades. In 1994 the IFA was made a full member of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), enabling the inclusion of Israeli teams in UEFA competitions.[2]

Since 1934, more than 491 players have appeared for the Israel national team;[3] those 111 with 20 or more caps are listed here. The Israel national team's only major honour is the AFC Asian Cup, which it hosted and won in 1964.[4] It has qualified for the FIFA World Cup final tournament once, in 1970, and for the Summer Olympic Games twice, in 1968 and in 1976.[4][5][6]

Israel's all-time top goalscorer is Mordechai Spiegler, who scored 33 international goals in 83 matches between 1963 and 1977.[7][8] Yossi Benayoun, a midfielder, holds the record for the most national team appearances, having played for Israel 99 times between 1998 and 2017.[3][9] The team's highest-capped goalkeeper, Dudu Aouate, represented Israel 78 times between 1999 and 2013.[10] The most-capped player of non-Jewish background is Bibras Natcho, who appeared for the Israeli squad 88 times between 2010 and 2023, scoring 4 goals.[11]

Players

Appearances and goals are composed of FIFA World Cup, Summer Olympic Games, AFC Asian Cup, and UEFA European Championship matches and each competition's required qualification matches, as well as numerous international friendly tournaments and matches. The statistics given here include some matches recognised as official by the Israel Football Association (IFA), but not by FIFA; the tallies maintained by FIFA for a given player may be slightly lower than the IFA's.[12] The years given in the column marked "national team career" are those of each player's first and last international cap. Players are initially listed by number of caps, then number of goals scored. Where two or more players have the same number of caps and goals scored, they are initially listed alphabetically. Statistics are correct as of the match played on 9 September 2021.[3][8]
Key
† Still eligible for the national team[n 1]
‡ Played on the team that won the 1964 AFC Asian Cup
GK Goalkeeper
DF Defender
MF Midfielder
FW Forward
Israel national team footballers with at least 20 appearances
# Name Position National team
career 		Caps Goals Ref
1 Yossi Benayoun MF 1998–2017 102 24 [9]
2 Tal Ben Haim DF 2002–2017 96 1 [13]
3 Arik Benado DF 1995–2007 94 0 [14]
4 Alon Harazi DF 1992–2006 89 2 [15]
5 Bibras Natcho MF 2010–2023 88 4 [11]
6 Amir Schelach DF 1992–2001 85 0 [16]
7 Mordechai Spiegler‡ FW 1963–1977 83 33 [7]
8 Nir Klinger MF 1987–1997 83 2 [17]
9 Avi Nimni MF 1992–2005 80 17 [18]
10 Tal Banin MF 1990–2003 78 12 [19]
11 Itzhak Shum MF 1969–1981 78 10 [20]
12 Eyal Berkovic MF 1992–2004 78 9 [21]
13 Dudu Aouate GK 1999–2013 78 0 [10]
14 Walid Badir DF 1997–2007 74 12 [22]
15 Eran Zahavi† FW 2010–present 72 35 [23]
16 Alon Hazan MF 1990–2000 72 5 [24]
17 Gidi Damti FW 1971–1981 69 21 [25]
18 Idan Tal MF 1998–2007 69 5 [26]
19 Itzhak Vissoker‡ GK 1963–1976 69 0 [27]
20 Bonni Ginzburg GK 1984–1996 68 0 [28]
21 Haim Revivo MF 1992–2003 67 15 [29]
22 Avi Cohen DF 1976–1988 64 1 [30]
23 Uri Malmilian MF 1975–1990 62 16 [31]
24 Nahum Stelmach‡ FW 1956–1968 61 22 [32]
25 Ronny Rosenthal FW 1984–1997 60 11 [33]
26 Eli Dasa† DF 2015–present 60 0
27 Zvi Rosen DF 1968–1975 58 5 [34]
28 Eitan Tibi† DF 2012–2021 57 1 [35]
29 Menachem Bello DF 1965–1975 57 0 [36]
30 Adoram Keisi DF 1994–2006 54 4 [37]
31 Ronen Harazi FW 1992–1999 53 23 [38]
32 Eli Ohana FW 1984–1997 51 17 [39]
33 Haim Bar DF 1974–1983 51 1 [40]
34 Nir Davidovich GK 1998–2010 51 0 [41]
35 Yehoshua Feigenbaum FW 1966–1977 50 24 [42]
36 Roby Young‡ MF 1961–1969 50 8 [43]
37 Shimon Gershon DF 1999–2008 50 4 [44]
38 Moshe Sinai MF 1981–1990 47 7 [45]
39 Beram Kayal MF 2008–2019 46 2 [46]
40 Rachamim Talbi FW 1965–1973 45 10 [47]
41 Giora Spiegel MF 1965–1980 44 18 [48]
42 Ben Sahar† FW 2007–2019 44 8 [49]
43 Shmuel Rosenthal MF 1965–1973 43 2 [50]
44 Rafi Cohen GK 1992–2000 43 0 [51]
45 Amatzia Levkovich‡ DF 1957–1965 42 1 [52]
46 Lior Refaelov MF 2007–2017 40 6 [53]
47 Moanes Dabour FW 2014–2022 40 15
48 Vicky Peretz FW 1973–1983 40 14 [54]
49 Nir Bitton† MF 2010–2022 39 2 [55]
50 Ofir Marciano† DF 2014–2022 40 0
51 Felix Halfon DF 1992–1998 38 0 [56]
52 David Primo‡ DF 1964–1976 38 0 [57]
53 Tomer Hemed† DF 2011–2018 38 18 [58]
54 Elyaniv Barda† FW 2007–2016 38 12 [59]
55 Alon Mizrahi FW 1992–2001 37 16 [60]
56 Omer Golan FW 2004–2010 37 8 [61]
57 Dor Peretz† MF 2015–present 38 6
58 George Borba MF 1966–1973 37 7 [62]
59 Yisha'ayahu Schwager DF 1966–1974 37 0 [63]
60 Gal Alberman MF 2002–2013 36 1 [64]
61 Gideon Tish‡ MF 1958–1964 36 1 [65]
62 Yehoshua Glazer FW 1949–1961 35 18 [66]
63 Yossi Abukasis MF 1996–2003 35 3 [67]
64 Shraga Bar FW 1968–1972 34 1 [68]
65 Ran Ben Shimon MF 1992–1999 34 0 [69]
66 Reuven Atar MF 1989–1997 33 3 [70]
67 Rifaat Turk MF 1976–1986 33 3 [71]
68 Avi Cohen DF 1987–1992 32 5 [72]
69 Efraim Davidi DF 1983–1990 32 0 [73]
70 Yoav Ziv DF 2006–2012 32 0 [74]
71 Sheran Yeini MF 2013–2020 32 0
72 Itzik Zohar MF 1992–2000 31 9 [75]
73 Yaniv Katan FW 2000–2009 31 5 [76]
74 David Amsalem DF 1992–1999 31 0 [77]
75 Ya'akov Hodorov GK 1949–1964 31 0 [78]
76 Avraham Menchel MF 1959–1963 30 7 [79]
77 Moshe Glam DF 1993–1997 30 2 [80]
78 David Pizanti DF 1983–1989 30 0 [81]
79 Pini Balili FW 2000–2007 29 7 [82]
80 Ya'akov Ekhoiz DF 1980–1986 29 0 [83]
81 Danny Shmulevich-Rom FW 1960–1970 29 0 [84]
82 Zahi Armeli FW 1983–1986 28 10 [85]
83 Tal Ben Haim† FW 2011–2018 28 5 [86]
84 Dedi Ben Dayan DF 2000–2012 28 1 [87]
85 Gili Vermouth MF 2009–2015 28 2 [88]
86 Itay Shechter† FW 2009–2017 27 5 [89]
87 Omri Afek MF 2002–2006 27 5 [90]
88 Eli Driks FW 1987–1996 27 4 [91]
89 Dekel Keinan† DF 2007–2013 27 0 [92]
90 Yuval Spungin DF 2007–2014 27 0 [93]
91 Yaron Oz MF 1973–1977 26 2 [94]
92 Moshe Leon‡ DF 1962–1977 26 1 [95]
93 Rami Gershon† DF 2010–2017 26 2 [96]
94 Maor Melikson MF 2010–2018 25 3 [97]
95 Yosef Goldstein MF 1953–1961 25 1 [98]
96 Eli Leventhal MF 1974–1977 25 1 [99]
97 Klemi Saban DF 2004–2010 25 1 [100]
98 Yehuda Amar DF 1987–1993 25 0 [101]
99 Arie Haviv GK 1978–1985 25 0 [102]
100 Gadi Brumer DF 1993–2002 24 2 [103]
101 Shlomo Kirat DF 1978–1985 24 0 [104]
102 Meir Nimni DF 1974–1977 24 0 [105]
103 Moshe Schweitzer MF 1974–1977 23 8 [106]
104 Shalom Tikva FW 1986–1994 23 6 [107]
105 Maor Buzaglo MF 2007–2016 23 1 [108]
106 Ofer Talker DF 1997–2001 23 1 [109]
107 Haim Levin‡ GK 1963–1969 22 0 [110]
108 Roberto Colautti FW 2006–2010 21 6 [111]
109 Jan Talesnikov MF 1998–2000 21 4 [112]
110 Gad Machnes DF 1978–1985 21 1 [113]
111 Tamir Cohen MF 2007–2011 21 0 [114]
112 Omer Damari FW 2010–2016 20 9 [115]
113 Michael Zandberg MF 2002–2007 20 4 [116]
114 Eli Cohen MF 1983–1989 20 3 [117]
115 Nir Alon DF 1988–1989 20 1 [118]
116 Yaron Parselani DF 1983–1989 20 0 [119]

Notes and references

Notes
  1. Players marked as "still eligible for the national team" are those who have not retired from international football and who are, therefore, still selectable.
References
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  57. "David Primo". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  58. "Tomer Hemed". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017.
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  60. "Alon Mizrahi". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  61. "Omer Golan". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
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  93. "Yuval Spungin". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016.
  94. "Yaron Oz". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  95. "Moshe Leon". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
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  97. "Maor Melikson". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017.
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  100. "Klemi Saban". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  101. "Yehuda Amar". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  102. "Arie Haviv". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  103. "Gadi Brumer". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  104. "Shlomo Kirat". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  105. "Meir Nimni". Israel Football Association. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
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