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 ...

competed at the

AFC Asian Cup The AFC Asian Cup is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), determining the continental champion of Asia. It is the second oldest cont ...

four times. In 1956 and 1960 Israel finished second, in

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

they finished first, and in 1968 they finished third. In

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...

Israel qualified for the tournament as hosts but later withdrew. Israel was expelled from the AFC in the early 1970s and eventually became a member of

UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...

. After joining the UEFA Israel began competing in the

UEFA European Championship The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition is contes ...

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

Record

:''Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.''

1956 AFC Asian Cup

Israel competed at the

1956 AFC Asian Cup The 1956 AFC Asian Cup was the first AFC Asian Cup, held every four years and organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The final tournament was held in Hong Kong from 1 September to 15 September 1956. It was won by South Korea. Venue ...

. This was the first

and Israel’s first appearance.Asian Cup: Know Your History – Part One (1956-1988)
/ref> ---- ---- With four goals, Nahum Stelmach is the top scorer in the tournament. ;4 goals * Nahum Stelmach ;2 goals *

Yehoshua Glazer Yehoshua Glazer ( he, יהושע גלזר, 29 December 1927 – 29 December 2018) was an Israeli footballer who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv and for the Israel national football team his entire career. Honours *Israeli Premier League (6): **1946� ...

Head coach:

Jackie Gibbons Albert Henry Gibbons (10 April 1914 – 4 July 1984) was an English professional footballer and manager who played in the Football League for Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and Bradford Park Avenue. After his retirement as a player, he managed in ...

1960 AFC Asian Cup

Israel competed at the

1960 AFC Asian Cup The 1960 AFC Asian Cup was the 2nd edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were hosted by South Korea from 14 October to 23 October 1960. ...

. This was the second

and Israel’s second appearance.

Qualification – Western Zone

---- ---- ---- ---- ----

Tournament results

---- ----

Goal scorers

;2 goals * Shlomo Levi ;1 goal *

Amnon Aharonskind Amnon ( he, אַמְנוֹן ''’Amnōn'', "faithful") was, in the Hebrew Bible, the oldest son of King David and his second wife, Ahinoam of Jezreel. He was born in Hebron during his father's reign in Judah. He was the heir apparent to the thr ...

* Rafi Levi * Avraham Menchel * Nahum Stelmach

Squad

Head coach: Gyula Mándi

1964 AFC Asian Cup

Israel competed at the

1964 AFC Asian Cup The 1964 AFC Asian Cup was the 3rd edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were held in Israel from 26 May to 3 June 1964. The tournament ...

. This was the third

and Israel’s third appearance.

Host nation

The tournament used a round-robin system with the winners from the West, Central 1 and 2 and East Asia zones and the team from the host nation (Israel) competing for the title. 11 of the 16 nations withdrew including Iran and Japan with the result that only one zone (combined Central 1 and 2) played any qualifying matches and the 'winners' of 2 zones and host Israel qualified uncontested. In this diminished competition

won the title with three wins.

Venues

Qualification

Israel as the host nation automatically qualified for the tournament.

Tournament results

---- ----

Goal scorers

;2 goals *

Mordechai Spiegler Mordechai "Motaleh" Shpigler ( he, מרדכי "מוטל'ה" שפיגלר; born 19 August 1944) is a retired Israeli footballer, and manager. Shpigler is placed second in Israel's all time goalscoring list, with 32 goals in 83 caps. Early life ...

;1 goal *

Yohai Aharoni Yohai Aharoni (יוחאי אהרוני; born 8 June 1943) is an Israeli former footballer player and coach who played as a right winger. He is best known for playing in Hapoel Mahane Yehuda and Hapoel Petach Tikva in Israel's prime league. On th ...

Moshe Leon Moshe "Mutzi" Leon ( he, משה "מוצי" ליאון; born January 9, 1944) is a former Israeli international footballer of Bulgarian descent. Leon is regarded as the greatest player in the history of Maccabi Jaffa, there he played for over 20 ...

Gideon Tish Gideon Tish is a former Israeli football player. Career In the 1950, Tish was an Israeli football player who is most known for playing at Hapoel Tel Aviv, there he scored 55 goals which places him as one of the greatest scorers in the history ...

Squad

Head coach:

Yosef Merimovich Yosef "Yosale" Merimovich ( he, יוסף "יוס'לה" מרימוביץ'; 24 July 1924 – 5 May 2011) was an Israeli football player and manager. Honours As a Player * Israeli football championship (6): **1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953 ...

1968 AFC Asian Cup

Israel competed at the

1968 AFC Asian Cup The 1968 AFC Asian Cup was the 4th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were held in Iran between 10 and 19 May 1968. It was organized ...

. This was the fourth

and Israel’s fourth and last appearance. After the 1968 tournament Israel did not compete in a regional football tournament for many years. Israel was expelled from the AFC in the early 1970s and eventually became a member of

. After joining the UEFA Israel began competing in the

Qualification – West Zone 1

Israel qualified for the tournament by default after all other teams in their zone withdrew from the tournament.Asian Nations Cup 1968
/ref>

Tournament results

---- ---- ----

Goal scorers

With 4 goals, Giora Spiegel and Moshe Romano of Israel tied with Homayoun Behzadi of Iran as the top scorers of the tournament. ;4 goals *

Giora Spiegel Giora Spiegel ( he, גיורא שפיגל), (born July 27, 1947) is an Israeli former footballer and coach. As a footballer, he holds the record for the longest Israeli international career, spanning 14 years and 357 days. Biography Born in P ...

Moshe Romano Moshe Romano ( he, משה רומנו; born 6 May 1946) is an Israeli former international footballer. Career Club career Romano played club football for Shimshon Tel Aviv and Beitar Tel Aviv, and was top scorer in the 1965–66, 1969–1970, ...

;2 goals *

;1 goal *

Shmuel Rosenthal Shmuel Rosenthal ( he, שמואל רוזנטל, also known as Sam Rosenthal, born 22 April 1947) is an Israeli former international footballer. With Israel he participated in the Olympic Games of 1968 and the World Cup 1970. When he moved from ...

Squad

Head coach:

Milovan Ćirić Milovan Ćirić (Serbian Cyrillic: Милован Ћирић; 12 February 1918 – 14 October 1986) was a Serbian football coach and former player. He was the last player to captain SK Jugoslavija and the first captain of Red Star Belgrade (1945� ...

References

{{Football in Israel Countries at the AFC Asian Cup

Record

1956 AFC Asian Cup

1960 AFC Asian Cup

Qualification – Western Zone

Tournament results

Goal scorers

Squad

1964 AFC Asian Cup

Host nation

Venues

Qualification

Tournament results

Goal scorers

Squad

1968 AFC Asian Cup

Qualification – West Zone 1

Tournament results

Goal scorers

Squad

See also

References