Alex Zahavi
Encyclopedia
Alexander "Alex" Abraham Zahavi (born January 21, 1991) is a soccer player currently playing for Portuguese
club Vitória F.C.
on loan from Maccabi Haifa
. Zahavi was born in the United States
but is the son of a Portuguese mother and Israeli father. He has represented Portugal
at the U17 level but he is considering switching federations so he can represent the United States
. He is the great nephew of football agent Pini Zahavi
. Zahavi is a winger who plays on the left side of midfield, even though he is right-footed.
, Barcelona
, and Sporting Clube de Portugal.
He started out playing in the Hapoel Haifa system at the age of seven, but due to the league not allowing players under the age of nine to participate, his family decided to move to Lisbon
so he could improve his skills. During a return trip to Israel
in 2002 for a youth tournament, a scout from Arsenal invited him to London
for a trial. After his first day, the club offered him a contract and he stayed with the team for two years. After a tournament in 2004, he moved to Barcelona
where he was offered a three-year contract with a possible seven-year extension.
In 2007, Zahavi decided to move to Sporting Clube de Portugal because he felt he had a better chance of making their first squad.
on trial trying to impress Elisha Levy
. On July 26 he was presented as a Maccabi Haifa player after he signed a contract with the club.
Zahavi joined Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Acre
in February 2011 on loan for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.
On July 7, Maccabi Haifa
announced that they extended Zahavi's contract through the 2015 season, and are loaning him to Portuguese top flight team Vitória de Setúbal for the 2011–12 season.
at various youth levels but has not been called into the senior team. Because he played in an official UEFA
U17 qualifying tournament for Portugal, he is currently tied to their national team under FIFA eligibility rules
. However, since he is also eligible to play for Israel or the United States, he can request a one-time only switch with FIFA.
Zahavi was called up to the United States U-20's team in November, 2010 for the Torneo de las Americas.
On 20 February 2011, Zahavi was called in for his first Israel U-21
camp. Three days later Zahavi played in a friendly with the under-21 side against FC Arsenal Kyiv
. In March 2011, Zahavi was brought in for another training camp. On 17 March 2011 Zahavi was named to the under-21 side for a tournament in Austria
. Zahavi made his debut for the side in a friendly against Georgia
on 23 March 2011. Zahavi scored his first goal for the under-21 side in a friendly against Romania
on 26 March 2011 in Austria
. Zahavi floated the ball over the Romanian goalkeeper from 35 metres out after exchanging passes with Nes Zamir
.
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|Hapoel Acre
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Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
club Vitória F.C.
Vitória F.C.
Vitória Futebol Clube is a Portuguese sports club from the city of Setúbal. Popularly known as Vitória de Setúbal with the motto "A Vitória será nossa" .- Domestic :*Portuguese Liga: Runners-up 1971–72...
on loan from Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
. Zahavi was born in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
but is the son of a Portuguese mother and Israeli father. He has represented Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
at the U17 level but he is considering switching federations so he can represent the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
. He is the great nephew of football agent Pini Zahavi
Pini Zahavi
Pinhas "Pini" Zahavi is a football agent who has been involved in some of the most expensive and controversial transfer episodes of recent times....
. Zahavi is a winger who plays on the left side of midfield, even though he is right-footed.
Youth
Zahavi has played in the youth system for Hapoel Haifa, Benfica, ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, and Sporting Clube de Portugal.
He started out playing in the Hapoel Haifa system at the age of seven, but due to the league not allowing players under the age of nine to participate, his family decided to move to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
so he could improve his skills. During a return trip to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 2002 for a youth tournament, a scout from Arsenal invited him to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for a trial. After his first day, the club offered him a contract and he stayed with the team for two years. After a tournament in 2004, he moved to Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
where he was offered a three-year contract with a possible seven-year extension.
In 2007, Zahavi decided to move to Sporting Clube de Portugal because he felt he had a better chance of making their first squad.
Professional career
On July 16, 2010, Zahavi joined Maccabi HaifaMaccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
on trial trying to impress Elisha Levy
Elisha Levy
Elisha Levy is a former professional football player and is currently manager of Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.-Player:Levy was born in Jerusalem and in the beginning of the 60s moved with his family to Beit She'an. At the age of 11 he joined Hapoel Beit She'an children's club. He continued to play...
. On July 26 he was presented as a Maccabi Haifa player after he signed a contract with the club.
Zahavi joined Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Acre
Hapoel Acre F.C.
Hapoel Acre Football Club is an Israeli football club based in Acre, Israel. The club is currently in the Premier League and plays in dark blue shirts with white sleeves, dark blue shorts and white socks.-History:...
in February 2011 on loan for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.
On July 7, Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
announced that they extended Zahavi's contract through the 2015 season, and are loaning him to Portuguese top flight team Vitória de Setúbal for the 2011–12 season.
International
Zahavi has represented PortugalPortugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
at various youth levels but has not been called into the senior team. Because he played in an official UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
U17 qualifying tournament for Portugal, he is currently tied to their national team under FIFA eligibility rules
FIFA eligibility rules
FIFA eligibility rules describe the criteria that are used to determine whether an association football player is allowed to represent a particular country in officially recognised international competitions and friendly matches. Eligibility rules are implemented and maintained by FIFA, the...
. However, since he is also eligible to play for Israel or the United States, he can request a one-time only switch with FIFA.
Zahavi was called up to the United States U-20's team in November, 2010 for the Torneo de las Americas.
On 20 February 2011, Zahavi was called in for his first Israel U-21
Israel national under-21 football team
Israel's national Under-21 team , also known as Israel Under-21s or Israel U-21s, is considered to be the feeder team for the Israel national football team...
camp. Three days later Zahavi played in a friendly with the under-21 side against FC Arsenal Kyiv
FC Arsenal Kyiv
FC Arsenal Kyiv is a professional football club from the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.-History:In the 1950s, a different club under the same name Arsenal Kyiv won the 1958 Ukrainian SSR Championship. However in 1963 the club was renamed to "Temp Kyiv". In 1964 the club was replaced by FC Dynamo-2 Kyiv...
. In March 2011, Zahavi was brought in for another training camp. On 17 March 2011 Zahavi was named to the under-21 side for a tournament in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Zahavi made his debut for the side in a friendly against Georgia
Georgia national under-21 football team
The Georgian U-21 national football team is the football team representing Georgia in competitions for under-21 year old players.-Current squad :The following players were called up for the European Under-21 Football Championship...
on 23 March 2011. Zahavi scored his first goal for the under-21 side in a friendly against Romania
Romania national under-21 football team
The Romania national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years....
on 26 March 2011 in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Zahavi floated the ball over the Romanian goalkeeper from 35 metres out after exchanging passes with Nes Zamir
Nes Zamir
Nes Zamir is an Israeli professional footballer who plays for Real Zaragoza B.-Professional career:When he was only 17 years old Nes had a trial with Getafe B which decided to sign him on a professional contract a played there in the Segunda División B Groups 1–4 after one season he signed with...
.
Statistics
|-|rowspan=2|2010–11
2010–11 Israeli Premier League
The 2010–11 Israeli Premier League was the twelfth season since its introduction in 1999 and the 69th season of top-tier football in Israel. It began on 21 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. Hapoel Tel Aviv were the defending champions....
||Maccabi Haifa
Maccabi Haifa F.C.
Maccabi Haifa Football Club is an Israeli football team from the city of Haifa, a section of Maccabi Haifa sports club. The club has won 12 championships, 5 State Cups and 4 Toto Cups...
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|Hapoel Acre
Hapoel Acre F.C.
Hapoel Acre Football Club is an Israeli football club based in Acre, Israel. The club is currently in the Premier League and plays in dark blue shirts with white sleeves, dark blue shorts and white socks.-History:...
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