Abbas Suan (sometimes spelled Suwan or Swan, ar, عباس صوان, he, עבאס סואן, born January 27, 1976) is a retired
Arab-Israeli
The Arab citizens of Israel are the largest ethnic minority in the country. They comprise a hybrid community of Israeli citizens with a heritage of Palestinian citizenship, mixed religions (Muslim, Christian or Druze), bilingual in Arabic an ...
footballer from
Sakhnin
Sakhnin ( ar, سخنين; he, סַחְ'נִין or ''Sikhnin'') is an Arab city in Israel's Northern District. It is located in the Lower Galilee, about east of Acre. Sakhnin was declared a city in 1995. In its population was , mostly Muslim ...
in the
Galilee
Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...
. As a footballer he was considered by many as one of the best Israeli Arab players.
He became a national hero in 2006 for scoring the game-tying goal in the 90th minute of a
World Cup qualifying match against
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
.
In 2006, Suan signed a two-year contract with Maccabi Haifa but later moved to Premier League newcomers
Ironi Kiryat Shmona. He returned to play for his original club
Bnei Sakhnin
Bnei Sakhnin F.C. ( ar, اتحاد أبناء سخنين, he, איחוד בני סכנין, ''Ihud Bnei Sakhnin''; ''Ittihad Abna Sakhnin'', ) is an Israeli football club based at the Doha Stadium in Sakhnin. They are the most successful clu ...
.
On August 29, 2005 Suan was featured in an exposé in
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
by
Grant Wahl
Grant Wahl (December 2, 1973 – December 10, 2022) was an American sports journalist and soccer analyst for CBS Sports, a senior writer for ''Sports Illustrated'' and a correspondent for Fox Sports, based in New York City. He was also the aut ...
into the minorities that play on the
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team ( he, נבחרת ישראל בכדורגל, ) represents Israel in international football, and is governed by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
Israel's national team is the direct successor of the M ...
. Suan has been the target of racism at football matches in Israel. During a match between Bnei Sakhnin and Betar Jerusalem, Betar fans waved a giant banner saying "Suan, you don't represent us", and shouted, “We hate all Arabs.” Betar Jerusalem was later subjected to a fine for verbal abuse.
Suan is also a featured subject of the documentary film
After The CupSons of Sakhnin United" which chronicled the team and Suan's life after winning the Israeli national cup.
Aside from his club contract, he has many endorsement deals. Suan currently is the spokesperson for
Subaru
( or ; ) is the automaker, automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate (company), conglomerate Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries), the Automotive industry#By manufacturer, twenty-first ...
motor vehicles in
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
.
Although a devout
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
, Suan has no trouble embracing Jewish culture in Israel. However, he has a mixed sense of identity, saying that "I am a Palestinian because I have a lot of brothers and cousins in the Arab countries. And I am Israeli because I live here and don't go out of my lands." During international football matches, Suan was one of two Arab players who refuse to sing during the playing of
Hatikvah
Hatikvah ( he, הַתִּקְוָה, haTīqvā, ; ) is the national anthem of the State of Israel. Part of 19th-century Jewish poetry, the theme of the Romantic composition reflects the 2,000-year-old desire of the Jewish people to return t ...
, Israel's national anthem, because it mentions only
Jews
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
. He was featured in a Journeyman Pictures documentary on Arab citizens of Israel.
Divided Nation - Israel/Palestine
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Honours
*Israel State Cup
The Israel State Cup ( he, גביע המדינה, ''Gvia HaMedina''), is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
The State Cup was first held in 1928 as the People's Cup. Because it involve ...
:
**Winners (1): 2003–04
*Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit ( he, ליגה לאומית, lit. ''National League'') is the second division of the Israeli Football League, and below its Premier League.
Structure
There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the two lowest-place ...
:
**Runner-up (1): 2002–03
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suan, Abbas
1976 births
Living people
People from Sakhnin
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab-Israeli footballers
Israeli Muslims
Israeli footballers
Israel international footballers
Association football midfielders
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona F.C. players
Bnei Sakhnin F.C. players
Maccabi Haifa F.C. players
Israeli Premier League players
Footballers from Sakhnin
Israeli football managers