Israel national under-21 football team

Israel Under-21
הנבחרת הצעירה
Association	Israel Football Association
Head coach	Arik Benado
Captain	Eli Dasa
Most caps	Arik Benado (39)
Top scorer	Alon Mizrahi (15)
FIFA code	ISR
First colours	Second colours
First international
	Greece U-21 2-2 Israel U-21 ; (Greece; 1990)
Biggest win
	Israel U-21 6-0 Austria U-21 ; (Israel)
Biggest defeat
	Israel U-21 0-4 Spain U-21 ; (Israel) ; Israel U-21 0-4 Italy U-21 ; (Israel; 2013)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	2 (first in 2007)
Best result	Group Stage, 3rd Place

Israel's national Under-21 team (Hebrew: הנבחרת הצעירה של ישראל בכדורגל), also known as Israel Under-21s or Israel U-21s, is considered to be the feeder team for the Israel national football team. It has recently qualified for the European Championships to be held in the Netherlands after beating the French under-21 team 2-1 on aggregate.

This team is for Israeli players aged 21 or under at the start of a two-year UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship campaign, so players can be, and often are, up to 23 years old. Also in existence are teams for Under-20s (for non-UEFA tournaments), Under-19s and Under 17s. As long as they are eligible, players can play at any level, making it possible to play for the U-21s, senior side and again for the U-21s, as Shlomi Arbeitman has done recently. It is also possible to play for one country at youth level and another at senior level (providing the player is eligible).

The U-21 team came into existence, following the Israel's acceptance as a full member of UEFA. A draw in a qualifier against Greece in Greece was Israel U-21s' first result.

Israel U-21s do not have a permanent home. They play in stadia dotted all around Israel in an attempt to encourage fans in all areas of the country to get behind Israel. Because of the lack of appeal compared to the senior national team, smaller grounds are used (such as HaMoshava Stadium).

Competition History

There is no Under-21 World Cup, although there is an Under-20 World Cup. European U-21 teams compete for the European Championship, with the finals every even-numbered year. It will be held in odd-numbered years from 2007. Israel has never fared well in European Under-21 Football Championships.

The current campaign started shortly after the 2006 finals - the qualification stage of the 2007 competition. UEFA have decided to shift the next tournament forward to avoid a clash with senior tournaments taking place in even-numbered years. The competition has therefore been reduced as qualifying must be completed in a year's less time. In their three-team qualification group, Israel finished ahead of Turkey and Wales. In the two-legged play-off against France for a place in the final stage, the team achieved a surprising 1-1 draw in France and won the home match 1-0, with Amir Taga scoring in stoppage time.

Note: The year of the tournament represents the year in which it ends.

Competitive Record

UEFA European Under-21 Championship Record

Year	Round	GP	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1992	Qualifying Stage	6	3	2	0	17	3
1994	Qualifying Stage	10	3	1	6	17	16
1996	Qualifying Stage	10	3	3	4	12	11
1998	Qualifying Stage	8	5	2	1	17	9
2000	Qualifying Stage	8	2	2	4	6	13
2002	Qualifying Stage	8	4	0	4	16	13
2004	Qualifying Stage	8	3	1	4	6	11
2006	Qualifying Stage	8	4	3	1	11	7
2007	Group Stage	5	1	1	3	3	8
2009	Qualification Playoffs	8	5	2	1	16	5
2011	Qualifying Stage	8	5	1	2	18	8
2013	Group Stage	3	1	1	1	3	6
2015	Qualifying Stage	1	1	0	0	7	2
Total	2/13	88	39	18	34	146	106

Players

Top Appearances

Rank	Player	Club(s)	Year(s)	U-21 Caps
1	Arik Benado	Maccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem	1992–1995	39
2	Nir Sivilia	Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bnei Yehuda, Beitar Jerusalem	1993–1997	34
2	Shay Holtzman	Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Haifa, Tzafririm Holon	1992–1995	34
3	Dekel Keinan	Maccabi Haifa, Bnei Sakhnin, Maccabi Netanya	2003–2007	30
4	Alon Halfon	Maccabi Netanya, Hapoel Haifa	1993–1995	29
4	Tom Almadon	Maccabi Haifa	2004–2007	29
5	Ofer Talker	Ironi Ashdod, Hapoel Haifa	1992–1995	28
6	Ofir Kopel	Maccabi Haifa	1994–1997	27
7	Lior Jan	Maccabi Tel Aviv	2006–2008	26
8	Moshe Ohayon	F.C. Ashdod	2001–2005	24

Note: Club(s) represents the permanent clubs during the player's time in the Under-21s.

Top Goalscorers

Rank	Player	Club(s)	Year(s)	U-21 Goals
1	Alon Mizrahi	Bnei Yehuda	1992–1993	15
2	Shay Holtzman	Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Haifa, Tzafririm Holon	1992–1995	14
3	Nir Sivilia	Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bnei Yehuda, Beitar Jerusalem	1993–1997	12
3	Moanes Dabour	Maccabi Tel Aviv	2011–	12
4	Ben Sahar	Chelsea, Espanyol	2007–2010	8
4	Maor Buzaglo	Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Petah Tikva, Bnei Sakhnin, Maccabi Tel Aviv	2007–2010	8
5	Eli Abarbanel	Hapoel Petah Tikva	1994–1999	7
5	Amir Turgeman	Ironi Ashdod	1992–1993	7

Note: Club(s) represents the permanent clubs during the player's time in the Under-21s.

2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

Group A

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5 June 2013

19:00

Israel	2 – 2	Norway
Biton 16' (pen.) Turgeman 71'	Report	Pedersen 24' Singh 90+2'

Netanya Stadium, Netanya

Attendance: 10,850

Referee: Paweł Gil (Poland)

8 June 2013

21:30

Italy	4 – 0	Israel
Saponara 18' Gabbiadini 42', 53' Florenzi 71'	Report

Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv

Attendance: 13,750

Referee: Ovidiu Haţegan (Romania)

11 June 2013

19:00

Israel	1 – 0	England
Kriaf 80'	Report

Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem

Attendance: 22,183

Referee: Serhiy Boiko (Ukraine)

2015 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

2015 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification Group 8

Template:2015 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification Group 8

Fixtures

8 September 2013