If the average soccer fan in Israel were asked if he had heard the name Ilai Feingold last May, he would probably say no. To be honest, most Maccabi Haifa fans didn’t even know the right back who starred in the youth team and reached the final of the U19 Euros with Ofir Haim’s team. Then came the Mondialeto, where he was one of the standouts, including an assist in the crazy victory against Brazil (2:3), and suddenly the recognition began. Without this tournament, he would probably be playing today in Hapoel Afula from the bottom of the national league.
Last season, he didn’t even train with the senior team, so he didn’t rush to sign a new contract with Maccabi Haifa. After the Mondialeto, and even though Massai Dago coached him in the youth team and knew his abilities, Maccabi Haifa decided to land Maor Kandil as Daniel Sondgren’s replacement. The club claimed that the move was made due to the departure of Abdoulai Sak for the African Championship and the desire for Sondgren to also play as a stopper.
Even before the signing, Feingold was in demand at Olympiakos and even went out to impress the Greek club, but things did not work out and finally the defender signed a long-term contract with Maccabi Haifa. The first time he was included in the squad was in the away game against Ran, but he waited for his debut until December, when he came on as a substitute in the away game against Villarreal and helped the greens keep a clean sheet. Then the change took place towards him.
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Candle. Arrived at Feingold’s position (Alan Shiver)
He again came on as a substitute in the away game against Panathenaikos and recorded a great performance and then started the lineup in nine league games in which Maccabi Haifa conceded a single goal (!). In another game, against Hapoel PAT, he entered only after the team had conceded twice. Although he rarely got opportunities at the start of the season, he got into things very quickly and his tremendous roar at the crowd after a successful tackle against Dor Turgeman in the victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv is especially memorable.
Feingold, who can play as a right defender in the fourth line and a right tackle in three brakes, connected in the locker room with the old guys and the team noted his professionalism and desire to progress. The young defender (19) is considered a “boy of the house” and makes the trips from Netanya to Kfar Galim every day. He started his football career at the age of 7 when he played for the Diamonds. In 2019, he left for a season with Hapoel Ra’anana, after which he was courted by Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa, and finally he preferred to join the Greens.
In an interview he gave to the Maccabi Netanya website when he was 13 years old, he said that he comes from a family of Maccabi Netanya fans, his role model is Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal and his big dream is to reach the Israel national team. Meanwhile, he occupied the right back position of the youth team and is expected to be at the Olympics in Paris this summer.
fished Received a shield by surprise (Danny Maron)