Hapoel Be'er Sheva
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Hapoel Hapoel (, ) is an Israeli Jewish sports association established in 1926 by the Histadrut Labor Federation. History During the Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate of Palestine period Hapoel had a bitter rivalry with Maccabi World Union, Maccab ...
Be'er Sheva Football Club (, ''Moadon HaKaduregel Hapoel Be'er Sheva'') is an Israeli professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club from the city of
Be'er Sheva Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most po ...
, that competes in the
Israeli Premier League The Israeli Premier League (, Ligat HaAl, ) is a professional association football league in Israel and the highest level of the Israeli football league system. The league is contested by 14 clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and rele ...
. The club was established in 1949, and since 2007 it has been run by businesswoman Alona Barkat, who serves as the club's owner. The club also fields youth teams, and a women's side. There is also a football academy. The home uniform colors of the club are red and white. Until 1959, the club played its home games at a stadium that was located in the old city of
Be'er Sheva Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most po ...
. In 1960, the club moved to
Vasermil Stadium The Arthur Vasermil Municipal Stadium was a football stadium in Be’er Sheva, Israel. The stadium was designed as an open bowl (though a small part of one side was covered). At one stage it had a running track that was later bricked over. In its ...
. Starting from the 2015–16 season, the home ground of the team is
Turner Stadium The Turner Stadium (), officially the Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium Be'er Sheva, is a association football, football stadium in Be'er Sheva, Israel. It is the home ground of Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It was named after former Be' ...
. The club began to win titles in the 1970s. Throughout the years, the team has won five championships, four
Israel State Cup The Israel State Cup (, ''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 involves clubs of all standards ...
, four
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
(One in
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
), four
Israel Super Cup The Israel Super Cup, also known as the Champion of Champions (, Aluf HaAlufim), is an Israeli association football club competition played as a single match between the winner of the latest Israeli top league champions and the winner of the late ...
(One in the Second Division) and one
Lilian Cup The Lililan Cup (, ''Gvia Lililan''), which was also known as The League Cup (, ''Gvia HaLiga'') was an Israel, Israeli men's association football, football competition open to the top 4 clubs in Liga Leumit between 1981–82 Liga Leumit, 1981–8 ...
.
Be'er Sheva Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most po ...
is also the first team in the history of Israeli football to play in a European competition, together with
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
, and the first team in the history of Israeli football that played in the
UEFA Cup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
together with
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
.


History


Early years

The team started in 1949, when Zalman Caspi was a footballer at
Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim'') is an Israeli football club from Ramat Gan and Givatayim. They currently play in Liga Leumit, the second tier of Israeli football. Home matches are played at Rama ...
. He set up a department to find young talents in the transit camps in the Be'er Sheva area, in order to eventually establish a soccer team. In April 1950, the group was established in the framework of the Hapoel Center. Hapoel Be'er Sheva played for the first time on 1 May 1950 and won 5–4 Hapoel Mefalsim, a team made up of players who immigrated to Israel from South America. The goals were scored by
Marcus Abergil Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44 * Mărcuş, a village in Dobârl ...
(duo),
Henry Lev Henry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Henry (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters * Henry (surname) * Henry, a stage name of François-Louis Henry (1786–1855), French baritone Arts and entertainment ...
(duo) and
Baruch Cohen Baruch Cohen (; 17 January 1936 – 23 January 1973) was an Israeli intelligence officer in the Shin Bet and '' katsa'' in the Mossad. Cohen was assassinated by the Palestinian militant group Black September Organization in Madrid in 1973 after ...
. At that time, the team participated in friendly matches against teams from the two senior leagues, and Derby was held against Maccabi Be'er Sheva, which ended with a 3–3 draw. In 1952, the club official activity was suspended after the Association decided that the geographical distance would not allow its participation, but in 1954 the group was re-registered in the 1954–55 league in the Negev region of
Liga Gimel Liga Gimel (, lit. ''League C'') is, since 2009, the fifth and bottom division of Israeli football league system, Israeli Football League. From Liga Alef and downwards, including Liga Gimel, each league is separated by region. History Liga Gimel ...
, the third league at the time. Be'er Sheva finished the season in the seventh and final place in the Negev region with one win from 12 games, 22 mandatory goals and only 5 goals. The 1955–56 season, under the guidance of coach Yosef Azran, finished first in the Southern District of
Liga Gimel Liga Gimel (, lit. ''League C'') is, since 2009, the fifth and bottom division of Israeli football league system, Israeli Football League. From Liga Alef and downwards, including Liga Gimel, each league is separated by region. History Liga Gimel ...
, the fourth league at the time. In the qualifying games for relegation to
Liga Bet Liga Bet () is the fourth tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into four regional divisions. History League football started in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. However, the financial ...
, Be'er Sheva competed against Hapoel Lod, Hapoel Ramla and
Hapoel Holon Hapoel Holon Basketball Club (), is a professional basketball club based in Holon, Israel. The team plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League (the top tier of Israeli basketball), and internationally in the Basketball Champions League. The ...
, and in the decisive game in
Rehovot Rehovot (, / ) is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu (movement), Bilu movement, proposed the name "Rehovot ...
she beat Hapoel Jaffa 0–5 and qualified for the second division. In the 1956–57 season, the team finished seventh in the league in the Southern District. In the 1957–58 season,
Lonia Dvorin Ari "Lonia" Dvorin (; ; ; 23 October 1917 – 17 March 2000) was an Israeli football player and coach. As a player, he played as a full-back for Beitar Tel Aviv and the Mandatory Palestine national team. Early life Dvorin was born on 23 Oct ...
replaced Yosef Azran at the coaching post. In the same season, the Football Association stopped all the leagues under the first division towards their end, with Be'er Sheva in second place leading to the first round of tests, following suspicions of bribes and biases, all of which have been frozen for the season. At the end of the season the team reached the final of the "Football Association Cup", but lost 7–1 to Hapoel Tiberias. In the 1958–59 season the team finished second in the league in the Southern District and qualified for the first stage of the tests. In the first test game she lost 0–5 to Hapoel Afula and Dvorin resigned from the team coaching. Former Israeli national team coach
Jack Gibbons Jack Gibbons (born 2 March 1962) is an English-born American classical composer and virtuoso pianist. Biography Gibbons was born in England. His father was a scientist and his mother a visual artist. He began his piano studies in Stockton-o ...
took his place and led the team to
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
after winning the decisive game against Hapoel Netanya in
Rehovot Rehovot (, / ) is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu (movement), Bilu movement, proposed the name "Rehovot ...
2–1.


1960s

In the 1959–60 season, Hapoel Be'er Sheva moved to play on a lawn in the municipal stadium in Be'er Sheva. This season, Yechiel Mor, 27-year-old from
Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim'') is an Israeli football club from Ramat Gan and Givatayim. They currently play in Liga Leumit, the second tier of Israeli football. Home matches are played at Rama ...
, joined the team and began to serve as
player-coach A player–coach (also playing coach, captain–coach, or player–manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. Player–coaches may be head coaches or assistant coaches, and they may make chang ...
. Under his guidance, the team finished ninth in
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
. In preparation for the 1960–61 Beer Sheva played their first game against an international team when she hosted Cyprus
Anorthosis Famagusta Anorthosis Famagusta (), commonly known as Anorthosis in English or Anorthosi in Greek, is a Cypriot football club, part of the Famagusta multi-sport club founded in 1911 in Varosha, Famagusta.
for a friendly game, which ended in a 1–2 loss. This season they finished ninth again. In the 1961–62 season,
Rober Eryol Rober İsaac Eryol ( – ) was a Turkish football player. Background He was born on 21 December 1930 in Mersin, Turkey. He was of Jewish origin. His grandfather, also named Rober Ishak Eryol, was martyred serving the Ottoman Empire in action ...
was appointed coach of the team, but after five matches Be'er Sheva remained without points, and the club decided to fire Eryol and rehire coach Yechiel Mor back. In the same season, the team reached the semi-finals of the State Cup for the first time in history, in the
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
, after beating Hapoel Ramla 2–1 in the eighth round. In the quarterfinals,
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
won 3–1 and was eliminated after a loss 3–0 to
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
in the semi-finals. In the 1963–64 season, the league was divided into two districts – North and South, and Be'er Sheva finished as the "winter champion" in the
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
South. Be'er Sheva struggled with
Beitar Tel Aviv Beitar Tel Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל בית"ר תל אביב) was an Israeli football club based from Tel Aviv. The club merged in 2000 with Shimshon Tel Aviv to create Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv,Beitar Tel Aviv Beitar Tel Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל בית"ר תל אביב) was an Israeli football club based from Tel Aviv. The club merged in 2000 with Shimshon Tel Aviv to create Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv,1964–65 season, under the guidance of Yugoslav coach
Slavko Milošević Slavko () is a Slavic masculine given name. Notable holders of the name include: Arts * Slavko Avsenik, Slovenian musician * Slavko Avsenik, Jr., Slovenian musician * Slavko Brankov, Croatian actor * Slavko Brill, Croatian Jewish sculptor * Slavko ...
, the team competed for the national league against Beitar Ramla and
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
, and finally finished first in the
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
South league, with a gap of nine points from second place, and qualified for the national league for the first time in its history. In addition, the team reached the quarterfinals of the State Cup after defeating
Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Haifa Football Club (, ''Moadon HaKaduregel Hapoel Haifa'') is an Israeli professional football club located in the city of Haifa. The club won one championship (1998–99) and 4 Israeli cups (1962–63, 1965–66 and 1973–74, 2 ...
from the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
. In the quarterfinals they lost 2–4 to
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
after an extension. During the season of promotion, Eliyahu Offer,
midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
- striker Abraham Noma and purchasing player Haim Cohen, who was the team top scorer with 20 goals this season, were conspicuous in the season. In the 1965–66 season, Yugoslav
Selvole Stanković Selvole is a small village in the comune of Radda in Chianti, located within the Province of Siena, in Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as o ...
was named coach of the team and was joined by midfielder Yitzhak Gozlan, who came from Hapoel Ofakim. This season, Be'er Sheva promised to stay only in the last round, when she beat
Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Netanya F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club was a founding member of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1971, the club's golden period last ...
4–0 and finished 13th in the league. In the summer of 1966, Yehiel Mor was again appointed coach of the team, and the offensive midfielder Meir Barad was joined from the Youth department to the first team. After 12 rounds the team led the league table and later joined the team of youth player Rafi Eliyahu. At the end of the double season 1966–68, the team finished ninth in the table, and Abraham Noma won the Israeli Footballer of the Year award. In the 1968–69 season,
Selvole Stepanović Selvole is a small village in the comune of Radda in Chianti, located within the Province of Siena, in Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as o ...
was appointed coach of the team, but already at the beginning of the season to they fell into last place in the league. As a result, the management summoned the former coach of the team,
Lonia Dvorin Ari "Lonia" Dvorin (; ; ; 23 October 1917 – 17 March 2000) was an Israeli football player and coach. As a player, he played as a full-back for Beitar Tel Aviv and the Mandatory Palestine national team. Early life Dvorin was born on 23 Oct ...
, to serve as a professional manager. After the 16th round, Stepanović was fired and replaced by Moshe Litbek. Under his guidance, the team managed to finish in 14th place and remain in the league. In addition, the team reached the quarterfinals of the State Cup after a 2–1 victory over
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv''), commonly referred to as Bnei Yehuda (), is an Israeli football club from the Hatikva Quarter of the city of Tel Aviv. The club is a member of the Liga Leumit. History The ...
in the eighth round. In the quarterfinals the team lost 2–3 to Maccabi Sha'arayim.


The early 1970s

In the 1969–70 season, under the guidance of
Avraham Menchel Avraham Menchel (; 12 December 1935 – 24 November 2023) was an Israeli footballer. He is best known for his years at Maccabi Haifa where he started his football career as well as his managerial career. Menchel is widely regarded as one of the ...
, the team scored only a few goals, finishing with only 24 goals, and was soaking it up when it finished with 49 goals against. Among other things, the team lost 0–8 to
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
. The team finished the season in the 16th and final place in the table, and went down to
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
after five years in the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
. In the 1970–71 season, Moshe Litbek returned to the position of coach of the team. Which began on the basis of its young players at the end of the season, the team returned to the top
league League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football * ''League of Legends'', a 2009 multiplayer online battle a ...
from first place in the
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
South, with a gap of 14 points from the second Hapoel Yehud, when Meir Barad finished the season as the team's top scorer with 18 goals. The decision was made by the champions of
Liga Alef Liga Alef () is the third tier of the Israeli football league system. It is divided into two regional divisions, north and south. History League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Howe ...
North,
Maccabi Jaffa Maccabi Jaffa Football Club () is an Israeli football club from Jaffa, Tel Aviv. Founded in 2007 as a phoenix football club by fans of Maccabi Jaffa F.C., which was dissolved in 2000 and all previous attempts in the intervening years to revive it ...
, in the
Super Cup A super cup is a competition, in association football, basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby union which often forms the 'curtain raiser' to a season, and typically involves only two teams who have qualified through success in other competi ...
to the second league. At the beginning of the 1971–72 season, Be'er Sheva was in the top ranks of the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
, but Meir Barad injury and a dispute between the club's management and Rafi Eliyahu led the team to the bottom of the league. The return of Barad and Eliyahu two months later did not change their luck, and the team finished 12th in the table with just 25 goals, with Barad finishing the season as king of the team with 11 goals. In the same season, the team met with
Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club (commonly referred to as simply Villa) is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The team have p ...
, one of the top three teams in England at the time, and won it 3–1. In the
1972–73 Year 197 ( CXCVII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magius and Rufinus (or, less frequently, year 950 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 197 for this y ...
season,
Eli Fuchs Eli Fuchs (; 1924–1992) was an Israeli international football player and manager of Maccabi Haifa. Aside from managing in Israel, he has managed clubs in South Africa and Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is ...
was appointed coach of the team, and was joined by the pioneer Shalom Avitan from Beitar Be'er Sheva. The team opened at the bottom, but improved with the progress of the season thanks to Avraham Numa who was the team top scorer with 14 goals this season, finishing fifth in the table, the best position in its history until then. The 1973–74 season, started poorly, and after 18 matches Be'er Sheva was in 14th place in the league, but as the league progressed, it improved and finished the season in seventh place in the table. In addition, the team reached the quarter-finals of the State Cup, in which it lost 1–3 to
Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Petah Tikva, currently playing in Israeli Premier League. Its most successful period was throughout the 1950s and 1960s, in which the club won six League C ...
in summing up two games.


First honours

In the 1974–75 season, Amazia Levkovich was appointed coach of the team when he was 37, and was considered a young coach in relation to the leading and leading coaches in
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. Levkovich was the first coach to introduce the style of the attacking defenders in Israel, a style taken from
German football Association football, Football is the most popular sport in Germany with 57% of the population declaring interest in watching it. The German Football Association ( or ) is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members (ro ...
. Levkovich combined young players, among them 20-year-old Uri Benjamin as a right-wing defender and 18-year-old Jacob Cohen as a left-wing defender. The team was one of the young players in the league, and included only four players who had reached the age of 25. The team started the season with three wins, including a victory over last season champions
Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Netanya F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club was a founding member of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1971, the club's golden period last ...
, without conceding a single goal. During the season she competed for the championship against Maccabi Netanya, and the decision came one season before the end of the season. Be'er Sheva played against
Maccabi Jaffa Maccabi Jaffa Football Club () is an Israeli football club from Jaffa, Tel Aviv. Founded in 2007 as a phoenix football club by fans of Maccabi Jaffa F.C., which was dissolved in 2000 and all previous attempts in the intervening years to revive it ...
, with one point separating it from Maccabi Netanya from the second place, and winning 1–0 from the gate of Efraim Zvi Hapoel Be'er Sheva was crowned the country's
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
champion for the first time in its history, with most of the players being home players. Efraim Zvi finished the season as the team's top scorer with 10 conquests, and Uri Benjamin won the title Footballer of the Year in Israel. In the summer 1975 the team participated in the
Super Cup A super cup is a competition, in association football, basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby union which often forms the 'curtain raiser' to a season, and typically involves only two teams who have qualified through success in other competi ...
game for the first time in its history, and won the title after a 2–1 victory over
Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Kfar Saba'') is an Israeli football club based in Kfar Saba. The club competes in the Liga Leumit and plays home matches at Levita Stadium. History The club was established in 1928. In 1951– ...
. In the 1975–76 season, Be'er Sheva opened the league in a disappointing way when it finished twice in the first two rounds, but in the following rounds improved, and in the fifth round it was ranked first in this season in the first place in the table. During the season she fought for the first place against
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
, and in the closing round Be'er Sheva again met
Maccabi Jaffa Maccabi Jaffa Football Club () is an Israeli football club from Jaffa, Tel Aviv. Founded in 2007 as a phoenix football club by fans of Maccabi Jaffa F.C., which was dissolved in 2000 and all previous attempts in the intervening years to revive it ...
for a decisive game. This time
Jaffa Jaffa (, ; , ), also called Japho, Joppa or Joppe in English, is an ancient Levantine Sea, Levantine port city which is part of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, located in its southern part. The city sits atop a naturally elevated outcrop on ...
fought against the decline and had to win to stay in the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
, while Be'er Sheva wanted to win to secure the championship
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
met
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
, which also fought against the decline, and had to win.
Maccabi Jaffa Maccabi Jaffa Football Club () is an Israeli football club from Jaffa, Tel Aviv. Founded in 2007 as a phoenix football club by fans of Maccabi Jaffa F.C., which was dissolved in 2000 and all previous attempts in the intervening years to revive it ...
won 1–0, but after the defeat of Beitar Jerusalem, Be'er Sheva won a second consecutive championship. Shalom Avitan, who returned to the team at the beginning of the season, finished him as the team's top scorer with 11 conquests. In the summer of 1976 Be'er Sheva and Beitar Jerusalem were the first teams in the history of Israeli football to play in a
UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup (from , "between" and , " betting pool"),Most precisely, from ( football pool); cf. originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition between European clubs. The competition was dis ...
. Be'er Sheva was drawn to
Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to: * Alkaline earth metal The alkaline earth metals are six chemical elements in group (periodic table), group 2 of the periodic table. They are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (B ...
and held six games in a "home-away" Against the groups
Køge BK Køge (, older spelling ''Kjøge'') is a Danish seaport on the coast of Køge Bugt (''Bay of Køge'') 39 km southwest of Copenhagen. It is the principal town and seat of Køge Municipality, Region Sjælland (Zealand), Denmark. In 2025, the ...
from Denmark, Herta Berlin from (Germany) and
Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège ( ; ; ) or simply Standard in Belgium, is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Liège. They are one of the most successful clubs in Belgium, having won t ...
from Belgium The balance of the team in the factory was one victory, 2–1 on
Køge BK Køge (, older spelling ''Kjøge'') is a Danish seaport on the coast of Køge Bugt (''Bay of Køge'') 39 km southwest of Copenhagen. It is the principal town and seat of Køge Municipality, Region Sjælland (Zealand), Denmark. In 2025, the ...
at
Vasermil Stadium The Arthur Vasermil Municipal Stadium was a football stadium in Be’er Sheva, Israel. The stadium was designed as an open bowl (though a small part of one side was covered). At one stage it had a running track that was later bricked over. In its ...
, three draw results and lost 2 consecutive wins for the second time in a row, losing to the Beitar Jerusalem
Super Cup A super cup is a competition, in association football, basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby union which often forms the 'curtain raiser' to a season, and typically involves only two teams who have qualified through success in other competi ...
holder 2–3 after the extension.


The late 1970s

In the 1976–77 season, Be'er Sheva almost became the first champion team to go down in the league. Under the guidance of
Eli Fuchs Eli Fuchs (; 1924–1992) was an Israeli international football player and manager of Maccabi Haifa. Aside from managing in Israel, he has managed clubs in South Africa and Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is ...
, who returned to coaching the team, Be'er Sheva opened the season badly and fell to the bottom. As a result, after 16 rounds Fuchs resigned from the coaching team, and Eliyahu Offer, who retired from regular activity as a player during the season and also served as Fuchs's assistant, was named coach. Two rounds to the end of the season the team met outside with
Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Haifa () is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football, Basketball, Weightl ...
for a survival game, with only a goal difference separating the two teams in the table. Be'er Sheva won 1–0 and managed to stay in the league while Maccabi Haifa dropped to the second division. In addition, the team reached the quarterfinals of the Israeli Cup again after beating Maccabi Haifa 2–0 in the eighth-finals and was eliminated after losing 0–3 to
Beitar Tel Aviv Beitar Tel Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל בית"ר תל אביב) was an Israeli football club based from Tel Aviv. The club merged in 2000 with Shimshon Tel Aviv to create Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv,1977–78 season, the team displayed a good offensive ability throughout the season, led by its top scorer Shalom Avitan, with 12 goals and his deputy Victor Seroussi, with 10 goals, but at the same time showed less defensive ability. Be'er Sheva finished the season in fifth place in the table with 43 goals, the highest in a single season in the history of the team in the first division until then (except for the double season of 1966–68, which scored 71 goals). In the 1978–79 season, the team finished ninth. In addition, she reached the quarter-finals of the State Cup for the sixth time in her history, following a 2–1 win over
Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Kfar Saba'') is an Israeli football club based in Kfar Saba. The club competes in the Liga Leumit and plays home matches at Levita Stadium. History The club was established in 1928. In 1951– ...
in the eighth-finals. In the quarterfinals she lost to
Beitar Tel Aviv Beitar Tel Aviv Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון כדורגל בית"ר תל אביב) was an Israeli football club based from Tel Aviv. The club merged in 2000 with Shimshon Tel Aviv to create Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv,1979–80 season, Amatzia Levkovich returned to coaching the team, and was joined by the young Efraim Davidi of Maccabi Be'er Sheva. The team did not open the season well, and then gave Levkovich a chance to play with other young players. The number of duty gates, 27, was the lowest since the season of the first championship under Levkovich ( 1974–75), but the offense was deficient and the team rarely scored goals. The team finished in the tenth place in the table with only seven wins. Towards the 1980–81 season, Eliyahu Offer returned to the coach position and opened the season well. However, just as the team scored more goals, it was also a great hit, and finished the season in 11th place. In preparation for the 1981–82 season, the team appointed
Shimon Shenhar Shimon Shenhar (; 19 September 1942 – 11 March 2012) was an Israeli football manager and footballer. Early life Shenhar was the son of Israeli footballer Otto Schlefenberg. Career After managing teams in Israel, Shenhar was appointed manag ...
, and the team opened the season with four losses, two draws and a win, leading to 15th and last place in the league. From the eighth round onwards, the team achieved a series of 11 cycles without loss. At the end of the 18th round, the team ranked in fourth place in the table, which they managed to keep until the end of the season. Be'er Sheva showed a good attacking ability during the season, scoring 43 goals and equaling the record for one season. King of the team's gates was Shalom Avitan with 14 goals. In addition, the team reached their semi-finals in the history of the State Cup, after beating
Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Netanya F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club was a founding member of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1971, the club's golden period last ...
in the eighth round, 1–0, and in the quarterfinals they won 4–0 in Ramat Gan. In the semi-finals she met
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
and lost 3 to 5 in the penalty kick after 2–2 at the end of the extension. The fourth place in the league gave Be'er Sheva a ticket to the
Lilian Cup The Lililan Cup (, ''Gvia Lililan''), which was also known as The League Cup (, ''Gvia HaLiga'') was an Israel, Israeli men's association football, football competition open to the top 4 clubs in Liga Leumit between 1981–82 Liga Leumit, 1981–8 ...
, a tournament that was played in the 1980s. In preparation for the 1982–83 season, the team played in the tournament and won 3–1 against Maccabi Netanya. In this season, Be'er Sheva played a very good defensive ability and took only 23 duty gates, the lowest number of duty gates since the first season. Be'er Sheva finished third in the table, and the reigning king was again Shalom Avitan with 11 conquests. In preparation for the 1983–84 season, Eliyahu Offer returned to the position of coach. The team played again against
Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Netanya F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club was a founding member of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1971, the club's golden period last ...
in the
Lilian Cup The Lililan Cup (, ''Gvia Lililan''), which was also known as The League Cup (, ''Gvia HaLiga'') was an Israel, Israeli men's association football, football competition open to the top 4 clubs in Liga Leumit between 1981–82 Liga Leumit, 1981–8 ...
final and lost 2–3. In the league, the team failed to maintain stability, rocking throughout the season between mid-table and bottom, and finally finished seventh in the table. In addition, she reached the finals of the Israeli Cup for the first time in her history, after winning 4–2 in the quarterfinals of
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
in a penalty shootout after a replay, and in the semi-finals she defeated Maccabi Netanya. In the final, the team lost 2–3 penalties to Hapoel Lod after 0–0 at the end of the extension. In preparation for the 1984–85 season,
Zvi Rosen Zvi Rosen (; born 23 June 1947) is an Israeli former international footballer who competed at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, as well as at the 1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad () ...
was appointed coach of the team, who scored few goals and finished the season with the lowest number of conquests since the 1976–77 season, and faced the danger of a drop to the relegation. Three seasons to the end of the season, with a lag of 5 points from where they remain in the league, Rosen was fired and replaced by former teammate Jackie Dekel, who managed to keep the team in the top league. In preparation for the 1985–86 season,
Nahum Stelmach Nahum Stelmach (; – ) was an Israeli footballer and manager. Biography Stelmach was born in Petah Tikva, Mandate Palestine, British Mandate of Palestine (now Israel), to a Jewish family. He was chosen third by ''Yediot Aharonots greatest Israe ...
was appointed coach, and his assistant was appointed former player of the team
Alon Ben Dor Alon Ben Dor (; born 18 March 1952) is an Israeli footballer. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics The 1976 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Mont ...
. This season, the team reached their final
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
for the first time in their history, after beating
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
2–1 in the semi-finals. In the final she lost to
Hapoel Petah Tikva Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Petah Tikva, currently playing in Israeli Premier League. Its most successful period was throughout the 1950s and 1960s, in which the club won six League C ...
1–2. In the league, the team barely scored and finished the season with 24 goals, but also scored a low 24 points, the lowest since the 1969–70 season. Throughout the season the team wandered between the bottom and middle of the table, finally finishing eighth in the table. In preparation for the 1986–87 season, Nino Bargig was appointed coach of the team, which started the season with two losses and a draw. Bargig was dismissed and replaced by Dror Bar-Nur. Under his defense, the team improved the defense game and finished with only 19 goals, but continued to harden the game and scored only 20 goals. The team's number of goals and goals was the lowest in its history in the first division. Throughout the season, she struggled with the bottom, finishing her 11th in the table. In preparation for the 1987–88 season, the team appointed Nissim Bakhar as coach. During this season the team maintained a high defense capability and improved its offensive ability. The team finished third in the table and won the
Lilian Cup The Lililan Cup (, ''Gvia Lililan''), which was also known as The League Cup (, ''Gvia HaLiga'') was an Israel, Israeli men's association football, football competition open to the top 4 clubs in Liga Leumit between 1981–82 Liga Leumit, 1981–8 ...
for the third time since the tournament was established. For the 1988–89 season, the team won 1–0 against
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
in the
Lilian Cup The Lililan Cup (, ''Gvia Lililan''), which was also known as The League Cup (, ''Gvia HaLiga'') was an Israel, Israeli men's association football, football competition open to the top 4 clubs in Liga Leumit between 1981–82 Liga Leumit, 1981–8 ...
final. Later in the season, the team reached the final of the
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
and won the
Cup A cup is an open-top vessel (container) used to hold liquids for drinking, typically with a flattened hemispherical shape, and often with a capacity of about . Cups may be made of pottery (including porcelain), glass, metal, wood, stone, pol ...
for the first time in its history after a victory over
Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Netanya F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club was a founding member of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1971, the club's golden period last ...
. In the
league League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football * ''League of Legends'', a 2009 multiplayer online battle a ...
, the team did not list, and in the 22nd round they broke up with coach Nissim Bakhar, when
Shimon Shenhar Shimon Shenhar (; 19 September 1942 – 11 March 2012) was an Israeli football manager and footballer. Early life Shenhar was the son of Israeli footballer Otto Schlefenberg. Career After managing teams in Israel, Shenhar was appointed manag ...
came in for a second term as team coach. Be'er Sheva scored only 22 goals, 29 assists and finished fifth in the table.


The 1990s

In the 1989–90 season was the first season in which foreign players were allowed to participate in the Israeli league, and Be'er Sheva joined the Argentinian attackers Claudio Dykstra and Ricardo Cacchione. During the season, the team replaced four coaches, Shimon Shenhar, who finished in the fifth round, past players Haim Cohen and
Alon Ben Dor Alon Ben Dor (; born 18 March 1952) is an Israeli footballer. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics The 1976 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Mont ...
, and Eliyahu Offer, who was appointed towards the end of the season in which the team finished ninth in the league. In the 1990–91 season, the team qualified for the playoffs, finishing sixth in the table. In the 1991–92 season, the team received 43 duty rates, the highest number of duty rates since the 1969–70 season. On the other hand, the team also scored a great deal, ending the season with 40 goals, the highest number of goals since 1981–82, and finished the season in tenth place in the table. In the 1992–93 season,
Uri Malmilian Uri Malmilian (; born April 24, 1957) is an Israeli former football player and current manager. Early life and playing career Born in the neighbourhood of Mamilla in West Jerusalem, Malmilian had a memorable playing career in the Liga Leumit at ...
and
Hisham Zuabi Hisham Zuabi (, ; born 16 May 1969) is an Israeli former professional footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, America ...
joined the team. After five rounds Eliyahu Offer was fired and replaced by assistant coach
Vico Haddad Victor "Vico" Haddad (Hebrew: ויקטור "ויקו" חדד) is a former Tunisian-Jewish Israeli footballer and football manager."Viko Hadad named new Hap. Haifa coachJerusalem Post Feb 6, 1995/ref> He is the long-time manager of Ben-Gurion Uni ...
. Be'er Sheva showed a good offensive ability during the season, when Zuabi finished as deputy king of the league with 17 goals, and sets a record for conquering Be'er Sheva in the senior league. The entire team finished the season with 52 goals, the highest number of goals ever scored in one season in the top league, as well as their best ever goal difference in the top division, and fourth in the table. In the 1993–94 season, the team again broke the record for the season in the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
and scored 54 goals, and returned their best goal difference in the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
. Amir Avigdor finished the season as the team's top scorer with 16 conquests, the team finished third and won the
UEFA Cup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
for the first time in which Israeli teams participated. In the 1994–95 season Vitaly Savchenko of Ukraine was appointed to coach the team. In the
UEFA Cup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
, the team was defeated against
Aris Thessaloniki Athlitikos Syllogos Aris Thessalonikis, means Athletic Club Aris Thessaloniki (), is a major Greece, Greek multi-sport club founded on 25 March 1914 in Thessaloniki. Nicknamed ''God of War'', Aris was one of the strongest Greek clubs during t ...
from Greece, losing twice to the team and being eliminated from the team. In the
1995–96 Liga Leumit The 1995–96 Liga Leumit season began on 26 August 1995 and ended on 18 May 1996, with Maccabi Tel Aviv win their second consecutive title. That season had two rounds, each team played the other teams twice. The two teams that were relegated to ...
season,
Vico Haddad Victor "Vico" Haddad (Hebrew: ויקטור "ויקו" חדד) is a former Tunisian-Jewish Israeli footballer and football manager."Viko Hadad named new Hap. Haifa coachJerusalem Post Feb 6, 1995/ref> He is the long-time manager of Ben-Gurion Uni ...
was again appointed to the team's training. In the first qualifying phase of the
UEFA Cup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
, the team beat
SK Tirana Sport Klub Tirana is an Albanian sports club based in the country's capital Tirana, most notable for its association football department. The club also consists of various other departments including basketball, volleyball, futsal Futsal is a v ...
of Albania, and was then knocked out of the factory after a double encounter against
FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly known as FC Barcelona and colloquially as Barça (), is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of ...
in which she lost 0–7 at home and 5–0 outside. Later in the season
Haddad Haddad (Arabic language, Arabic: حدّاد) is an Arabic surname meaning ''blacksmith'', commonly used in the Levant and Algeria. Hadad is the name of an ancient Ancient Semitic religion, Semitic storm-god.Spencer L. Allen (5 March 2015). The ...
was fired and replaced by former coach Vitaly Savchenko, The team won the second time in their history in the
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
, after beating
Hapoel Kfar Saba Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Kfar Saba'') is an Israeli football club based in Kfar Saba. The club competes in the Liga Leumit and plays home matches at Levita Stadium. History The club was established in 1928. In 1951– ...
in the final game, and the team showed poor ability to score, and Savchenko was replaced by
Eli Guttman Israel "Eli" Guttman (or Gutman, ; born 24 February 1958) is an Israeli former football player and manager who most recently managed Maccabi Haifa, before officially announcing his retirement from the football world, stating health issues as the m ...
, who finished with 32 points and 10th in the table. In the 1996–97 season, Guttman led the team to their first win in the State Cup, following a 1–0 victory over
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
in the final game, from Giovanni Rosso goal. In the league, the team finished the season in third place, after missing the second place in the last round of the season, with 25 goals and the best goalscorer in their history in the top league. In the summer of 1997, then-owner Eli Lahav decided to release many of the leading players in the team, including Giovanni Rosso,
Sejad Halilović Sejad Halilović (born 16 March 1969) is a Bosnian former professional footballer who played for several clubs throughout Europe, including Dinamo Zagreb, Real Valladolid and Hapoel Be'er Sheva. In addition, he played one game for the Croatia ...
and Shai Holtzman, and then left the team and transferred ownership to Eli Zino. As a result, the team opened the 1997–98 season with a small staff. Due to the lack of players, the team brought youth player
Yossi Benayoun Yossi Shai Benayoun (; born 5 May 1980) is an Israeli former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his career in Israel and England and captained the Israel national team. Born in Dimona, he is sometimes nicknamed ...
to the senior team at the age of 17, and coach appointed Benny Tabak. In the first qualifying phase of the
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a European association football, football club competition contested annually by the winners of domestic cup competitions. The competition's official name was originally the European Cup Winners' Cup; it was renam ...
, the team
FK Žalgiris Futbolo klubas Žalgiris, commonly known as FK Žalgiris, Žalgiris Vilnius or simply Žalgiris, is a Lithuanian professional association football, football club based in Vilnius. The club competes in the A Lyga, the top flight of Football in L ...
from Lithuania, and was then knocked out of the factory by
Roda JC Sportvereniging Roda Juliana Combinatie Kerkrade (; ), shortly as Roda JC Kerkrade () or commonly Roda JC or simply Roda, is a Dutch professional football club based in Kerkrade, Netherlands. Roda JC Kerkrade plays in the Eerste Divisie. The c ...
from Netherlands, who lost 4–1 at home and 10–0 away. After the defeat Tabak resigned, replacing Jackie Dekel again.
Yossi Benayoun Yossi Shai Benayoun (; born 5 May 1980) is an Israeli former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his career in Israel and England and captained the Israel national team. Born in Dimona, he is sometimes nicknamed ...
scored 15 goals this season, including a dramatic goal in a 1–0 win over
Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Haifa () is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football, Basketball, Weightl ...
in the final round, but due to her opponent's victory in the
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv''), commonly referred to as Bnei Yehuda (), is an Israeli football club from the Hatikva Quarter of the city of Tel Aviv. The club is a member of the Liga Leumit. History The ...
team, the team dropped to the second division after 27 consecutive years in the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
. The number of high duty rates in its history in one season in the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
. In preparation for the 1998–99 season, in the
Liga Artzit Liga Artzit (, lit. ''Country League'') is the defunct third division of Israeli Football League, beneath its highest division Premier League and the second division Liga Leumit. Before being cancelled in 2009, it was run by the Israel Football A ...
, Shiye Feigenbaum was appointed coach of the team, and during the season was replaced by
Gili Landau Gili Landau (; born 7 May 1958) is an Israeli former footballer and currently a manager, coaching the Israel women's national football team. Biopgraphy Gili Landau was born in Bat Yam, Israel. He played soccer as a striker for Hapoel Tel ...
. The team struggled with
Maccabi Netanya Maccabi Netanya F.C. () is an Israeli professional football club based in Netanya. Established in 1934, the club was a founding member of the Israeli League in 1949. After winning their first championship in 1971, the club's golden period last ...
to join the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
, but finally finished in third place in the table.


The beginning of the millennium

In preparation for the 1999–2000 season, Eliyahu Offer returned to coaching the team, and was later replaced by Motti Ivanir. Towards the end of the season Ivanir was replaced by
Eyal Lahman Eyal Lahman (; born 29 September 1965) is an Israeli football manager. Biography Born in Petah Tikva, Lahman joined the Hapoel Petah Tikva youth system, but left the club at 16 to join Petah Tikva-based Hapoel Mahane Yehuda. He returned to H ...
, and the team failed again in their attempt to qualify for the first division after finishing seventh in the table, while Beitar Be'er Sheva was fifth and above in the table. In the 2000–01 season,
Eyal Lahman Eyal Lahman (; born 29 September 1965) is an Israeli football manager. Biography Born in Petah Tikva, Lahman joined the Hapoel Petah Tikva youth system, but left the club at 16 to join Petah Tikva-based Hapoel Mahane Yehuda. He returned to H ...
continued on the sidelines, but was fired during the season and was replaced by
Shlomo Scharf Shlomo Scharf (; born 1 January 1943) is an Israeli former football coach and player who works as a commentator on Israeli Sport 5 TV channel. Scharf managed Maccabi Haifa to three championships, and was Israel national team manager from 19 ...
, who resigned after two rounds, and Lufa Kadosh replaced him as Be'er Sheva returned to the top of the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
to fight for the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
. this season the team met with
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
in the Premier League in the framework of the State Cup, and won 3–2 after an extension. Be'er Sheva met
Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim'') is an Israeli football club from Ramat Gan and Givatayim. They currently play in Liga Leumit, the second tier of Israeli football. Home matches are played at Rama ...
for the first division game, Be'er Sheva won 5–0 and ensured her rise to the Premier League from the first place. In the first two seasons after her return to the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
, the team finished twice in fifth place, and in the 2002–03 season it even reached the finals of the State Cup after beating
Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. Hapoel Tel Aviv Football Club (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Tel Aviv)'' is an Israeli professional football club based in Tel Aviv that competes in the Israeli Premier League. The club's traditional home ground is Bloomfield Stadium. To date, th ...
1–0 with a 1–0 win at
Bloomfield Stadium Bloomfield Stadium () is a football stadium in Tel Aviv, Israel, with a capacity of 29,400. It is the home stadium of Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv. The stadium also serves the Israel national football team for some select home matches ...
and a 3–0 win in
Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Haifa () is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football, Basketball, Weightl ...
. In the final, Be'er Sheva met
Hapoel Ramat Gan Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim'') is an Israeli football club from Ramat Gan and Givatayim. They currently play in Liga Leumit, the second tier of Israeli football. Home matches are played at Rama ...
of the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
, but was beaten by a
penalty kick A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
from 11 meters after 1–1 after the extension. In the 2003–04 season
Eli Guttman Israel "Eli" Guttman (or Gutman, ; born 24 February 1958) is an Israeli former football player and manager who most recently managed Maccabi Haifa, before officially announcing his retirement from the football world, stating health issues as the m ...
returned to the position of coach, and
Alon Mizrahi Alon Mizrahi (; born 22 November 1971) is an Israeli former professional footballer who played for clubs including Nice, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem. His nickname is "The Airplane" ( ...
, Dedi Ben Dayan,
Ofir Haim Ofir Haim (; born 21 April 1975) is an Israeli former Association footballer, footballer and manager who head coaches both the Israel national under-19 football team, Israel national under-19 team and the Israel national under-20 football team, I ...
and
Blessing Kaku Blessing Kaku (born 5 March 1978) is a former Nigerian international football player, who was a member of the national squad at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He spent most of his time in Israel playing for multiple clubs (Hapoel Be'er She ...
were prominent. In this season Be'er Sheva finished fourth, which earned them a ticket for the
UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup (from , "between" and , " betting pool"),Most precisely, from ( football pool); cf. originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition between European clubs. The competition was dis ...
factory. In the 2004–05 season, the team suffered financial problems and at the end of the game the team dropped to the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
after most of the players were released. The economic problems continued to accompany the team in the next two seasons, finishing fourth in the Liga Leumit.


The beginning of the era of Alona Barkat

In July 2007, businesswoman Alona Barkat purchased the team from Eli Zino. On 29 August 2007, during a training match against Maccabi Be'er Sheva, the team pioneer
Chaswe Nsofwa Chaswe Ronald Nsofwa (22 October 1978 – 29 August 2007) was a Zambian international footballer who played as a striker. He died during a training match in Be'er Sheva, Israel. Early life Nsofwa was born on 22 October 1978 in Lusaka, Zambia ...
collapsed and died of cardiac arrest. In the first season of the Alona Barkat season, the 2007–08 season, the team finished fourth in the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
and failed to qualify for the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
. In the 2008–09 season, Guy Levy was appointed coach of the team, and the midfielder Maor Melikson signed in the club. This season the team managed to return to the Premier League after four years in the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
. In the same season, the team won the
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
for the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
, after beating
Maccabi Herzliya Maccabi Herzliya F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Maccabi Herzliya'') is an Israeli football club based in Herzliya. The club is currently in Liga Leumit and plays at the Herzliya Municipal Stadium. History A football section of the Maccabi Herzliya ...
1–0 in the final. In the 2009–10 season, Guy Azouri was appointed coach of the team, who signed a number of new players in the team, including
David Revivo David Revivo (; born 5 December 1977) is a former Israeli footballer. He is the second-greatest goal-assist provider in Israel's history with 104 assists in the Israeli Premier League. Career The younger brother of Haim Revivo, he too was reco ...
,
Siraj Nassar Siraj Nassar (, ; born 2 September 1990) is an Arab-Israeli football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, foot ...
and Brazilian William Soares, who joined in January. The team presented a weak ability and its supporters protested and demanded Azouri resignation. In March 2010, following a violent incident by Fan towards the coach, Azouri decided to resign. The owner, Barkat, announced that following the fans behavior, she will leave the team at the end of the season. The fans launched a campaign to keep her at the club, and eventually Barkat stayed at Be'er Sheva. The professional director of the youth department at the time,
Vico Haddad Victor "Vico" Haddad (Hebrew: ויקטור "ויקו" חדד) is a former Tunisian-Jewish Israeli footballer and football manager."Viko Hadad named new Hap. Haifa coachJerusalem Post Feb 6, 1995/ref> He is the long-time manager of Ben-Gurion Uni ...
, served as coach until the end of the season, when the team finished ninth. In the
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
season,
Nir Klinger Nir Klinger (; born 25 May 1966) is an Israeli football coach and former player. During the 1990s, Klinger served as Captain for Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Israel national football team. He was the coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv for three seasons, be ...
was appointed coach of the team. The team started the season well, but in January 2011 the team star Maor Melikson was sold to
Wisła Kraków Towarzystwo Sportowe Wisła Kraków Spółka Akcyjna, commonly referred to as Wisła Kraków (), is a Polish professional football club based in Kraków. They currently compete in the I liga, the second level of Polish football league system, ...
, and after that there was a significant decline in its ability. In the last round of the regular season she managed to reach the midfield playoffs, after a 2–0 away win over
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
, and finished the season for the second time in a row in ninth place. In the 2011–12 season, owner Alona Barkat decided to build on young home players, including the left defender Ofir Davidzada, with experienced players, but the season started badly, when the team lost six consecutive games. In the seventh round the team won 0–2
Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Haifa Football Club (, ''Moadon HaKaduregel Hapoel Haifa'') is an Israeli professional football club located in the city of Haifa. The club won one championship (1998–99) and 4 Israeli cups (1962–63, 1965–66 and 1973–74, 2 ...
, and at the end of the game Klinger decided to resign.
Nir Klinger Nir Klinger (; born 25 May 1966) is an Israeli football coach and former player. During the 1990s, Klinger served as Captain for Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Israel national football team. He was the coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv for three seasons, be ...
was replaced by Guy Levy, who returned to another term as coach of the team and signed a contract until the end of the season. In the last round, the team won 3–1 at
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
, and then finished in 13th place and stayed in the Premier League. In the
2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
season, owner Alona Barkat signed outgoing coach of
Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Haifa () is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football, Basketball, Weightl ...
Elisha Levi Elisha Levy (; born on 18 November 1957) is a retired Israeli association footballer and currently the manager of Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C., Bnei Yehuda. Career Player Levy was born in Jerusalem, Israel, to a Jewish family. In the beginning of th ...
. This season a senior goalie in the form of Austin Ejide signed. In the same season, the team reached the
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
final against
Hapoel Haifa Hapoel Haifa Football Club (, ''Moadon HaKaduregel Hapoel Haifa'') is an Israeli professional football club located in the city of Haifa. The club won one championship (1998–99) and 4 Israeli cups (1962–63, 1965–66 and 1973–74, 2 ...
and lost 0–1, when Ido Axebrad, missed a
Penalty kick A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
in the 88th minute. In this season the team reached the playoffs, Location. Following the victory, Be'er Sheva finished eighth, and Maccabi Netanya was relegated to the
Liga Leumit The Israeli Liga Leumit (, HaLiga HaLeumit, ) is the second division of the professional Israeli association football (soccer) league system. This second-tier league is placed directly below the Israeli Premier League. Structure There are 16 ...
.


Return to the top

In preparation for the 2013–14 season, Alona Barkat decided to sign
Elisha Levi Elisha Levy (; born on 18 November 1957) is a retired Israeli association footballer and currently the manager of Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C., Bnei Yehuda. Career Player Levy was born in Jerusalem, Israel, to a Jewish family. In the beginning of th ...
for another season, and to bring together players with a name and potential for the future. As a result, Alona Barkat increased the budget Accordingly, senior actors in the form of
Elyaniv Barda Elyaniv Barda (or Elianiv, ; born 15 December 1981) is an Israeli former football player, and the current manager of Hapoel Tel Aviv. His former clubs include Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Maccabi Haifa, Hapoel Tel Aviv and Belgian side Racing Genk, with ...
, Maor Buzaglo,
Glynor Plet Glynor Orvil Plet (; born 30 January 1987) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a striker. He is the all-time top scorer and former captain of Telstar. Plet is noted for his physical strength, ability in the air, and ball retention ...
signed. These signings led the team to its best season since the championship season, finishing the season in second place. As a result, the club received a ticket to the
UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
preliminaries. In the 2014–15 season, the team returned to the European competitions after 18 years of absence playing against
RNK Split Radnički nogometni klub Split ("Workers' Football Club of Split") commonly known as RNK Split, is a Croatian professional football club based in the city of Split. History The club had a strong fanbase in the Split's shipyard. The club was fo ...
in the preliminaries of the
UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
. Due to the security situation at that time, the Israeli teams were forced to host the home game in Cyprus. The first game was held in Croatia and ended 1–2 in favor of Croatia, Be'er Sheva was eliminated from Europe after the return leg finished 0–0 in Cyprus. That season, a number of senior players were signed in the form of Maor Melikson and Shlomi Arbeitman who returned from Europe. In addition,
John Ogu Ugochukwu John Ogu (born 20 April 1988) is a Nigerian professional association football, footballer who most recently played as a midfielder for Israeli club Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa F.C., Maccabi Jaffa. Club career Early career Ogu began playing ...
from Nigeria and
Ovidiu Hoban Ovidiu Ștefan Hoban (born 27 December 1982) is a Romanian professional football manager and former player, who played as a defensive midfielder, currently assistant coach at Liga I club CFR Cluj. International career Hoban made his internatio ...
from Romania were signed. In the semi-finals of the State Cup, Be'er Sheva defeated Hapoel Afula and qualified for the State Cup final, losing 2–6 to
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
. In the league, the team finished the season in third place. In the 2015–16 Barak Bakhar was appointed as the team new coach. In addition, a number of leading players were signed in the form of Anthony Nwakaeme, Shir Tzedek,
Maharan Radi Maharan Radi (, ; born 1 July 1982) is an Israeli footballer who plays for Hapoel Nof HaGalil. He was capped 10 times by the Israel national team between 2012 and 2014. Club career An Arab citizen of Israel,
and
Ben Sahar Ben Sahar (, changed the Hebrew spelling of his surname from ; born 10 August 1989) is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a striker for Hapoel Tel Aviv. He has also played for the Israel national team. Early life Sahar was born in ...
. As part of the UEFA Europa League, Be'er Sheva was drawn against
FC Thun Fussballclub Thun 1898 is a Swiss association football, football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun. The club plays in the Swiss Super League from 2025–26, the top tier of the Swiss football league system, following promotion from the ...
from Switzerland for a home-away game encounter. In the first game held at
Teddy Stadium Teddy Stadium () is a sports stadium in Jerusalem. Two major Israeli football clubs currently use it as their home ground: Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Jerusalem. The Israel national football team also uses it for select home matches. The stadi ...
the game ended with a 1–1 draw. Following a 1–2 defeat in the return leg at
Stockhorn Arena Stockhorn Arena (formerly known as Arena Thun) is a Soccer-specific stadium, football stadium in Thun, Switzerland. It has a capacity of 10,000 spectators and opened in 2011. It is the home of FC Thun of the Swiss Super League. History From 1954 ...
Be'er Sheva was eliminated from the Europa League. In the fourth round of the season, the team inaugurated the
Turner Stadium The Turner Stadium (), officially the Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium Be'er Sheva, is a association football, football stadium in Be'er Sheva, Israel. It is the home ground of Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It was named after former Be' ...
which was built in the city, in a match against
Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Haifa () is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football, Basketball, Weightl ...
in front of 16,126 spectators. On 21 May 2016. the team won the third championship in its history after 40 years. During the season the team had 29 games without a loss, and throughout the season Be'er Sheva suffered only three losses. In the deciding game of the last round, Be'er Sheva defeated Bnei Sakhnin 3–1 at
Turner Stadium The Turner Stadium (), officially the Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium Be'er Sheva, is a association football, football stadium in Be'er Sheva, Israel. It is the home ground of Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It was named after former Be' ...
and won the championship title. In the 2016–17 season, Be'er Sheva won the title of
Super Cup A super cup is a competition, in association football, basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby union which often forms the 'curtain raiser' to a season, and typically involves only two teams who have qualified through success in other competi ...
after winning 4–2 against the cup holder Maccabi Haifa. That season the team participated in the
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
qualification reaching the playoffs after beating
Sheriff Tiraspol Fotbal Club Sheriff Tiraspol (), commonly known as Sheriff Tiraspol or simply Sheriff, is a professional football club based in Tiraspol, a city located in the unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria, that plays in the Liga, the top tier o ...
from Moldova and
Olympiacos Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós (, Olympic Association of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number of different competitive departments which participate in football, ...
from Greece. In the playoffs the team was eliminated by
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...
and as a result fell to the
UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
stage. In the group stage the club won twice against
Inter Milan Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football ...
, managed two draws against
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
and lost twice to
Sparta Prague Athletic Club Sparta Praha (), commonly known as Sparta Prague and Sparta Praha, is a professional football club based in Prague. It is the most successful club in the Czech Republic and one of the most successful in central Europe, winning t ...
finishing second in the Group and progressing beyond the group stage of a European competition for the first time in their history. In the round of 32, Be'er Sheva was drawn against
Beşiktaş Beşiktaş () is a district and municipality of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 18 km2 and its population is 175,190 (2022). It is located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and ...
from Turkey, and was eliminated after losing 2–5 in the final two games. On 28 December 2016, the team won the
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
of the Israeli Premier League, the third most important Israeli football competition, after a 4–1 win over
Ironi Kiryat Shmona Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona Football Club () known as Ironi Kiryat Shmona is a professional football club based in Kiryat Shmona, in the northern district of Israel. The club is a current member of the Israeli Premier League, and plays at the Iro ...
in the final game held in
Netanya Stadium Miriam Stadium (), commonly known as The Diamond Stadium, is a multi-use stadium in Netanya, Israel. It is used as the permanent home ground of Maccabi Netanya F.C., Maccabi Netanya, and it has been used as the temporary homeground of Hapoel Ha ...
. On 29 April, Be'er Sheva won 2–1
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
in
Netanya Stadium Miriam Stadium (), commonly known as The Diamond Stadium, is a multi-use stadium in Netanya, Israel. It is used as the permanent home ground of Maccabi Netanya F.C., Maccabi Netanya, and it has been used as the temporary homeground of Hapoel Ha ...
achieving the second consecutive championship with three games remaining for the season. In the 2017–18 season, Be'er Sheva won the title of
Super Cup A super cup is a competition, in association football, basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby union which often forms the 'curtain raiser' to a season, and typically involves only two teams who have qualified through success in other competi ...
after winning 4–2 the
cup A cup is an open-top vessel (container) used to hold liquids for drinking, typically with a flattened hemispherical shape, and often with a capacity of about . Cups may be made of pottery (including porcelain), glass, metal, wood, stone, pol ...
holder
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. (, ''Moadon Kaduregel Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv''), commonly referred to as Bnei Yehuda (), is an Israeli football club from the Hatikva Quarter of the city of Tel Aviv. The club is a member of the Liga Leumit. History The ...
. This season the team took part in qualifying for the
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
and reached the playoff stage after beating
Budapest Honvéd Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
from Hungary and
Ludogorets Razgrad Professional Football Club Ludogorets 1945 (), commonly known as Ludogorets Razgrad or simply Ludogorets, is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Razgrad, which currently competes in the First Professional Football League ...
from Bulgaria. In the playoffs, the team was eliminated against
Maribor Maribor ( , , ; also known by other #Name, historical names) is the List of cities and towns in Slovenia, second-largest city in Slovenia and the largest city of the traditional region of Styria (Slovenia), Lower Styria. It is the seat of the ...
from Slovenia and as a result fell to the
UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
stage. At the end of the season the team won the fifth championship in its history, and for the third time in a row. In the 2019–20 season, Be'er Sheva won the title of State Cup for the second time in their history. In the 2021–22 season, Be'er Sheva won the State Cup for the second time in three years, in the final game played at
Teddy Stadium Teddy Stadium () is a sports stadium in Jerusalem. Two major Israeli football clubs currently use it as their home ground: Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Jerusalem. The Israel national football team also uses it for select home matches. The stadi ...
in Jerusalem and ended in a 2–2 draw plus overtime and in the penalty shootout, in which the club won 3–1 with goalkeeper Omri Glazer stopping three of four kicks.


Stadium and facilities

Since its inception in 1949, the club Hapoel Be'er Sheva has played in 3 different plots, starting out playing on the soil surface at the stadium which was located in the old city. In 1959, the municipal stadium was built and inaugurated in Be'er Sheva on 31 October 1959 in a Hapoel Be'er Sheva game against
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
. December 1988 ended in a major overhaul of the stadium, the contribution of Mrs. Lilly Friedman-Vasermil, and the stadium was named for Arthur Vasermil. Ms. Friedman-Vasermil perpetuated the name of her son, who was murdered in the Holocaust by the Nazis, in 1943, Majdanek extermination camp, at the age of seven. In 1995, in honor of her portrayal of Hapoel Be'er Sheva in front of a
Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
UEFA Cup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
group, the stadium was renovated and plastic seats were installed at the bleachers instead of exposed concrete. In 2009 the rest of the seats were installed in the galleries, following the return of Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
. On 30 May 2015 the last game was played in
Vasermil Stadium The Arthur Vasermil Municipal Stadium was a football stadium in Be’er Sheva, Israel. The stadium was designed as an open bowl (though a small part of one side was covered). At one stage it had a running track that was later bricked over. In its ...
, which increased Hapoel Be'er Sheva 4–0 on the team
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
. On 16 September 2015,
Turner Stadium The Turner Stadium (), officially the Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium Be'er Sheva, is a association football, football stadium in Be'er Sheva, Israel. It is the home ground of Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It was named after former Be' ...
opened for the first time to some 4,000 fans who watched the team public show practice. The first game hosted by the stadium took place on 21 September 2015 against
Maccabi Haifa Maccabi Haifa () is one of the biggest sports clubs in Israel and a part of the Maccabi association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Haifa which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as Football, Basketball, Weightl ...
, and ended with a 0–0 draw. Before the game there was a dedication ceremony for a house and the setting of mezuzot in the presence of Mayor
Rubik Danilovich Reuven "Ruvik" Danilovich (; born January 24, 1971) is an Israeli politician. In 2008, he was elected mayor of Beersheba, after serving as deputy mayor under Yaakov Turner. He was reelected in 2013 with 92.21% of the ballots, in November 2018 w ...
.


Compound Vasermil

Be'er Sheva Municipality decided during 2015 to commemorate the legendary stadium named Arthur Vasermil that carries on a meaningful story. This compound serves mainly the youth department groups Hapoel Be'er Sheva, but sometimes even the older group. Compound five training facilities include a field with artificial turf as required by
FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...
. In 2013 the building was inaugurated "at the Association". The project includes 750 square meters of computer rooms, professional spaces, dressing rooms, doctor's room, coaches room, an area for gatherings, logistics and other rooms with modern elements of the most advanced in the country and meets all the standards of the Israel Football Association Premier leagues. There is a possibility of building another floor to the club in the future, to continue activities such as a football academy construction project.


Fans

Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans spread throughout the country and are one of the largest audiences in Israel. The
2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
season fans won the title of Be'er Sheva year's fair audience.


Ultras Organization – UltraSouth

UltraSouth was founded in 2014 out of a union between 2 groups – The Camels 2005 & and The South Side. Its activity was centered in Gate 5 at
Vasermil Stadium The Arthur Vasermil Municipal Stadium was a football stadium in Be’er Sheva, Israel. The stadium was designed as an open bowl (though a small part of one side was covered). At one stage it had a running track that was later bricked over. In its ...
. At
Turner Stadium The Turner Stadium (), officially the Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium Be'er Sheva, is a association football, football stadium in Be'er Sheva, Israel. It is the home ground of Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It was named after former Be' ...
it runs behind the gate in the south gallery. The organization focuses on encouraging the group and preparing a stage for the games. In addition, the organization helps organize the fans of the group in ways of reaching out. Since the group moved to
Turner Stadium The Turner Stadium (), officially the Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium Be'er Sheva, is a association football, football stadium in Be'er Sheva, Israel. It is the home ground of Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C., Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It was named after former Be' ...
, the organization has begun to present advanced sets of encouragement. In the 2016–17 season, the fans organization launched a fundraising campaign to purchase crankshafts for the southern pavilion to assist in the layout of the sets. The sum they sought to reach was 100,000
Shekel A shekel or sheqel (; , , plural , ) is an ancient Mesopotamian coin, usually of silver. A shekel was first a unit of weight—very roughly 11 grams (0.35 ozt)—and became currency in ancient Tyre, Carthage and Hasmonean Judea. Name The wo ...
s and the end of the campaign was about a month, but after 24 hours the money was raised in full. The organization advocated political isolation and the ultras of "ULTRAS NO POLITICA". The approach of the UltraSouth organization to avoid political affiliation turned out to be successful. After the display of Palestinian flags in
Celtic Park Celtic Park is a Soccer-specific stadium, football stadium and the home of Scottish Premiership team Celtic F.C., Celtic, in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, Scotland. With a capacity of 60,832, it is the largest List of football stadiums in Sco ...
, the organization emphasized that anyone who wanted to bring the Israeli flag to the tour was welcome, but it would not be related to the group. The organization takes care to make flags and signs in high-level deployment to increase the standard of decor in the stands. There is a songwriter for the group and for the players. In addition, the organization is in regular contact with the fans through Facebook, a dedicated Telegram channel, and other social media.


Crest

With the establishment of the club, it was decided by the management team that a crest, labeled below with Hapoel Be'er Sheva, would be placed on jerseys. This symbol has served the club until 1993. In 1993 the club management decided to change the group crest, and because over the years the club had earned the nickname "
Camel A camel (from and () from Ancient Semitic: ''gāmāl'') is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. Camels have long been domesticated and, as livestock, they provid ...
", the club tried to create a symbol for it. Between 1993 and 1995 the crest had a modified camel hump below, a soccer ball in the center circle, and the team name written in
Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
and English at the edges. From 1995 to 2016, Hapoel Be'er Sheva flaunted symbol whose lower half was a soccer ball, and the top half contained a chimney that symbolizes the municipal building, a symbol of the original executive, and the slogan "the pride of the Negev" to describe the team from the capital of the Negev. On 21 June 2016 the club's management presented the official emblem at the 2016–17 season press conference. The current symbol is based on the symbol that served the club from the 1995–96 season to the 2015–16 season: the lower half circle shape is half a soccer ball, the top half contains a chimney symbolizing the municipal building, a symbol of the original executive, and the top edges of the circle display the club's
Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
and English name. In addition, the crest is displayed below a star; this star represents that the club has won five championships.


Kit manufacturers and sponsors


Kit manufacturers

The shirt and shorts of Hapoel Be'er Sheva have been red and white since its inception; the group's third costume is blue. At some point in time, the team has added a rather black color. During the 1990s, the team also played in costumes that are not related to their traditional colors, such as a purple outfit, which represents the forum club that was then the main sponsor. The club's famous uniforms are red and white striped shirts, the first and second championship seasons. The uniform of the team beginning with the 2019–20 season are made by the Kelme company. Over the years, Hapoel Be'er Sheva has used uniforms from
Kappa Kappa (; uppercase Κ, lowercase κ or cursive ; , ''káppa'') is the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless velar plosive sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals, has a value of 20. It was d ...
,
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
,
Nike Nike often refers to: * Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment * Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory Nike may also refer to: People * Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...
,
Diadora Diadora is an Italian sportswear and footwear manufacturing company based in Caerano di San Marco (Veneto), subsidiary of Geox, founded in 1948. Diadora produces football boots and athletic shoes, as well as a range of apparel that includes ...
,
Lotto Lotto may refer to: * Lotto, original, 15th century name of the Italian lottery * Lotto America, one of many U.S. lottery games called Lotto * Lotto (Milan Metro), a railway station in Milan, Italy * Lotto carpet, a carpet having a lacy arabesq ...
, Puma and
Umbro Umbro is an English sports equipment manufacturer founded in 1924 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and based in Manchester. They specialise in football and rugby sportswear featuring their ''Double Diamond'' logo. Umbro products are sold in over 100 c ...
. Here are the manufacturers of team uniforms starting in 1975:


Sponsors

Since its inception Hapoel Be'er Sheva has worked with a number of sponsors recognized locally as
Solel Boneh Solel Boneh (, lit. ''Paving and Building'') is the oldest, and one of the largest, construction and civil engineering companies in Israel. History During British rule (1921–1948) Solel Boneh was founded in 1921 in British-ruled Palestine, ...
in the 1980s, and the
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
n car company
Kia Kia Corporation (, formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry (京城精密工業) and Kia Motors Corporation) is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second larges ...
and Forum Club at the beginning and middle of the decade. As of 2020, the main sponsor is Mahsanei HaShuk. Secondary Hapoel Be'er Sheva sponsors include the company
Metropoline Metropoline () is an Israeli bus company, which provides bus routes from Beersheba to Tel Aviv and other destinations in the Southern District, Intracity and intercity routes in the Negev region, Southern Sharon region, Ono Valley region and ...
, Fattal Hotels, Kelme and Eurotec group. Here are the main sponsors of the team from 2012:


Honours, records and achievements


Honours

*
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
: ** Winners (5): 1974–75, 1975–76, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 ** ''Runners-up (4)'': 2013–14, 2021–22,
2022–23 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
, 2024–25 * Second League: ** Winners (3): 1964–65, 1970–71, 2000–01 * State Cup: ** Winners (4): 1996–97, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2024–25 ** ''Runners-up (4)'': 1983–84, 2002–03, 2014–15, 2023–24 *
Super Cup A super cup is a competition, in association football, basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby union which often forms the 'curtain raiser' to a season, and typically involves only two teams who have qualified through success in other competi ...
: ** Winners (4):
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
,
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
,
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
,
2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
** ''Runners-up (3)'':
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
,
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
*
Super Cup A super cup is a competition, in association football, basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby union which often forms the 'curtain raiser' to a season, and typically involves only two teams who have qualified through success in other competi ...
(Second League): ** Winners (1): 1970–71 *
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
: ** Winners (3): 1988–89, 1995–96, 2016–17 ** ''Runners-up (5)'': 1985–86,
2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
, 2017–18, 2021–22,
2022–23 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
*
Toto Cup The Israel Toto Cup (, ''Gvia Ha'Toto'') is an association football tournament that features clubs in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Israeli Premier League Ligat ha'Al, Ligat Ha'Al; and the Israeli 2nd division Liga Leumit. Both of the ...
(Second League): ** Winners (1): 2008–09 ** ''Runners-up (1)'': 2005–06 *
Lilian Cup The Lililan Cup (, ''Gvia Lililan''), which was also known as The League Cup (, ''Gvia HaLiga'') was an Israel, Israeli men's association football, football competition open to the top 4 clubs in Liga Leumit between 1981–82 Liga Leumit, 1981–8 ...
: ** Winners (1): 1988 ** ''Runners-up (2)'':
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
,
1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...


Team records

* Seasons in top division – 51 (Includes season 2024–25) * The first group in the history of Israeli football that played in a European competition (together with
Beitar Jerusalem Beitar Jerusalem Football Club (), commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem () or simply Beitar (), is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football ...
, 1976–77) * The first team in the history of Israeli football who played in the
UEFA Cup The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
(together with
Hapoel Tel Aviv Hapoel Tel Aviv () is a sports club in Israel, founded in the 1920s, and part of the Hapoel association. It runs several sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv which have competed in a variety of sports over the years, such as football, basketball, w ...
, 1994–95) * The highest victory of an Israeli team in the semi-finals of the
Israel State Cup The Israel State Cup (, ''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 involves clubs of all standards ...
– 0–7 (against Hapoel Afula, 2014–15) * The biggest loss of an Israeli team in a European competition – 0–10 (against
Roda JC Sportvereniging Roda Juliana Combinatie Kerkrade (; ), shortly as Roda JC Kerkrade () or commonly Roda JC or simply Roda, is a Dutch professional football club based in Kerkrade, Netherlands. Roda JC Kerkrade plays in the Eerste Divisie. The c ...
, 1997–98) * Biggest 'undefeated' streak in the league – 29 (09/05/16 – 03/10/15) * Biggest 'undefeated away matches' streak in the league – 14 (25/04/16 – 16/10/15) * Record League – Home Games without loss – 51 (12/05/18 – 21/09/15) * Record of wins for a season – 26 ( 2016–17) * Record consecutive victories – 10 ( 2016–17) * Record of home victories for a single season – 16 ( 2016–17) * Record consecutive home victories – 10 (22/02/16 – 03/10/15) * Record consecutive away victories – 7 (25/04/16 – 16/01/16) * Record losses for the season – 21 ( 1966–68) * Record goals for the season – 73 ( 2016–17) * Record goals for the season at home – 45 ( 2016–17) * Record of gate absorption for the Season – 62 ( 1966–68) * The low gate absorption for the season – 18 ( 2016–17) * Record of league minutes without conceding a goal – 450 ( 1996–97) * Biggest league goals difference in a single season – 55 ( 2016–17) * Most points in a season – 85 ( 2016–17)


Personal records

* Highest number of league appearances: Shlomo Iluz, 515 performances * Top league scorer: Shalom Avitan, 100 goals * Most goals in a single season:
Hisham Zuabi Hisham Zuabi (, ; born 16 May 1969) is an Israeli former professional footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, America ...
in 1992–93 season, 17 goals * Most Assists in a single season: Maor Buzaglo ( 2013–14 season) and Maor Melikson ( 2015–16 season), 14 Assists * Most goals in European competitions in a single season: Anthony Nwakaeme (2015–2018), 8 goals * Highest number of European competition appearances:
Miguel Vítor Miguel Ângelo Leonardo Vítor (; born 30 June 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Be'er Sheva, where he is also captain, and for the Israel national team. He spent most of his ...
(2016–Present), 51 performances


Most appearances


Most League Goals


Won the title of top scorer of the Premier League


Won the title of footballer this season

* The players have won 5 times in the Israeli Premier League this season, according to the following table:


Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Europe


UEFA Team Ranking

* Bold row separators indicate change of ranking system. * ''Italic'' font indicate ongoing season.


Players


Current squad


Other players under contract


Out on loan


Retired numbers


Foreigner players for 2025–26 season

Only up to six non-Israeli nationals can be in an Israeli club squad (only five can play at the same time). those who have played in Israel for an extended period of time (
Miguel Vítor Miguel Ângelo Leonardo Vítor (; born 30 June 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Be'er Sheva, where he is also captain, and for the Israel national team. He spent most of his ...
), can claim a passport or permanent residency which would allow them to play as if they were Israeli citizens. * Hélder Lopes * Kings Kangwa * Lucas Ventura * Paul Garita *
Igor Zlatanović Igor Zlatanović ( sr-cyr, Игор Златановић; born 10 February 1998) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Israeli club Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Club career Born in Užice, Zlatanović passed FK Partizan youth c ...
* Antonio Sefer


Professional staff

* Last updated:24 January 2025


Coaches


Youth department

Hapoel "Hashlosha" Be'er Sheva, which represents the country's main southern football, and one of the largest youth departments in Israel. During most of the club's years, the club enjoys a strong youth department. Until 1969 Hapoel Be'er Sheva had one youth team, and it even won the first Israeli Youth Championship this year. At the end of the championship season, another group, Hapoel "Hashlosha", was established in Be'er Sheva after three employees of the "Makhteshim" factory who died in a work accident. The "Hashlosha" coach was Chaim Sne and within a short time the "Hashlosha" became the senior youth group in the city. "Hashlosha" won the first Israeli youth championship in 1973–74. Until the end of the 1980s Hapoel "HaShlosha" Be'er Sheva was regularly ranked in the top ranks of the Youth Super League and even won four State Youth Championships. From the mid-1960s, Hapoel Be'er Sheva youth teams relied on the talents discovered in the municipal youth leagues, founded by Aharon Ben Yaakov, who in their heyday numbered thousands of boys who played in hundreds of teams. As the group moved into private hands in the 1990s, the investment in the youth department declined and the youth group dropped to the re-election after a few years. Since 2007, when Alona Barkat has purchased the club, many funds have been invested to bring the youth departments back to the forefront, and in recent years the youth group has gradually returned to the top of the youth league.


Youth department groups

Professional director of the Youth Department: Shmulik Hanin


Honours

* Youth Israeli champions: ** Winners (4): 1969–70, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1984–85 * Youth Super Cup: ** Winners (1): 1984–85


In popular culture

The title character of the Israeli sitcom Shemesh, is a devoted supporter of the club, and the club appears in the show's main setting and is mentioned several times throughout the show. The love for Hapoel Be'er Sheva is at the center of Asher Halperin book, "I was crazy about it: a story about love and football."


References


External links


Hapoel Be'er Sheva
– Israel Football Association (archived 19 July 2016) {{Authority control 1949 establishments in Israel Association football clubs established in 1949
Be'er Sheva Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most po ...
Be'er Sheva Beersheba ( / ; ), officially Be'er-Sheva, is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the centre of the fourth-most populous metropolitan area in Israel, the eighth-most po ...
Sport in Beersheba