Two years of intoxication: Eran Zehavi’s numbers

ONE System | 15/10/2020 13:09

“My biggest dream from the moment I started playing football was to join the Israeli team. I was privileged to be part of the team and I was its captain, and there is no greater honor than that. I was wrong in my reaction to the game against Macedonia when in a moment of great anger and frustration “The captain and I hurt all the hundreds of thousands of loyal fans of the team. I apologize for that from the bottom of my heart. I look forward, set out on a new path and there is no point in dealing with what was. I love the team and have always been proud to represent the country and do everything to bring This was the statement of Eran Zehavi In August 2018 when he returned to the Israeli team.

Zahavi’s return to the blue-and-white uniforms made a noise, but did not create a big buzz. The reason? Until then, Zahavi had not been able to bring his ability from the teams to the team. Even those who forgave him for throwing the captain’s armband at the Sami Ofer Stadium, thought that even after the comeback the contribution would be negligible.

Our legionaries overseas – represent with respect?

In 37 appearances so far in the Israeli national team, Zehavi has scored only seven goals, a pinch in his terms. While tearing up networks in the Premier League, he won championships with Maccabi Tel Aviv and then broke record after record in China and was even selected as the player of the season there, in the Israeli team it just did not work. What was the reason? It is difficult to put the finger on a single factor.

At the top of Europe with Kane and Ronaldo

Zahavi returned to the team, without the captain’s armband on his arm, and the guard was released. It started with a goal in a disappointing loss to Scotland away (3: 2) which determined that Israel did not finish in first place at home in the League of Nations and at the time also believed that it would not advance to the playoffs for promotion to the Euros.

The Euro 2020 qualifying campaign ended in another disappointment for the team, but was very successful for Zahavi who finished with 11 goals in 11 games. Only England captain Harry Kane, who scored a hat-trick against Maccabi Haifa earlier this month, overtook him with 12 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo, by the way, who aims to break the all-time goalscoring record, also finished with 11 goals in Portugal. In line with the greatest pioneers in the world.

It started in March 2019 with a goal in a 1-1 draw at home against Slovenia and after three days with his biggest game in the national team, the 2-4 in Sami Ofer against the Austrian national team where he scored a hat-trick and swept Andy Herzog to victory against his homeland.

Three months passed and Zahavi scored three goals in a row, this time 0: 3 against Latvia away. September came, the team was hugely disappointed with a 1-1 home draw against Northern Macedonia and the winner was of course Golden. Four days later he added another goal in a 3: 2 loss to Slovenia and ended the campaign with goals in a loss in Austria (3: 1) and a victory over Latvia (1: 3).

Another point is the diversity in the form of occupation. Sometimes a left foot bomb for connections, sometimes an accurate spike on the right foot up close, sometimes a smart shot to the corner. There was even a rabbi in China who did not stop talking about her.

Next destination: the king of goals at all times

In the current campaign, Zahavi already has five goals in four games. In a 1-1 draw in Scotland last month, Sami Ofer lost to the Czech Republic on Sunday and the hat-trick in Slovakia, his third in the Israeli uniform. 17 goals in 17 last appearances.

Zahavi admits from time to time that he gets motivated to break records. After missing the penalty in a duel in Scotland a week ago, Zahavi said that “this miss will make me stay on the team for another two or three years.” In this period of time he can break another ancient record, the king of national team goals of all time.

The hat-trick in Slovakia has raised his tally to 24 goals in the national uniform. In one game, he managed to pass scorers like Gidi Damati, Nahum Stelmach and Ronen Harazi and equal legends like Yossi Benyon and Shia Feigenbaum. Mottle Spiegler (33 goals) should be apprehensive? Zahavi needs another 10 goals to pass him and become the king of the team’s goals. By the way, Zahavi is already the king of the team’s goals in official games with 21 compared to Spiegler’s 12. Hard? Yes. possible? Probably.