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10 Facts about Yossi Benayoun

Hapoel Ra’anana vs. Maccabi Haifa F.C., 3 October, 2015. Photo by: Botend-

Yossi Shai Benayoun (Hebrew born 5 May 1980) is a retired Israeli professional football player.

Benayoun was born in Dimona and is sometimes referred to as “The Diamond from Dimona” in Israel.

He last played for Beitar Jerusalem and captained the Israel national team. He played as an attacking midfielder, frequently occupying the space just behind the striker. 

1. The discovery of Yossi Benayoun’s talent

Benayoun’s talent was discovered when he was nine years old. By that time, he was playing for the national youth team in Israel. He was branded a genius at the age of 11, and by the age of 13, his face appeared on the covers of Israeli magazines.

The Amsterdam Football Club known as Ajax invited Benayoun and his family to the Netherlands when he was 15 years old. By his 16th birthday, he had become the Ajax youth team’s leading scorer and best player, and Ajax rewarded him with a four-year professional contract.

He continued to play for Israel Youth, scoring two goals in a match against England against a teenage Michael Owen.

However, Benayoun and his family found it difficult to adjust to Amsterdam and decided to return to Israel after eight months.

2. Yossi Benayoun sheds tears for Hapoel Be’er Sheva F.C.

Yossi Benayoun.  Photo by  Elemaki-

At the age of 17, he began his senior career with Hapoel Ber-Sheva. He was promoted to the Hapoel Be’er Sheva senior team for the 1997–98 Liga Leumit season.

However, he was unable to keep the club from being relegated to Israel’s second division.

Benayoun scored a penalty kick in the 90th minute of the season finale against Maccabi Haifa. Nir Davidovich, the goalkeeper for Haifa, saved the shot, but Benayoun scored on the rebound to give his team the victory.

It was rather unfortunate their relegation rival had won their match, ensuring that his team would be relegated regardless.

3. Yossi Benayoun is an international football player

On November 18, 1998, he made his senior debut for Israel against Portugal in a friendly, which resulted in a 2–0 away loss. On September 8, 1999, Benayoun scored his first international hat-trick against San Marino at Ramat Gan Stadium in a UEFA Euro 2000 qualifier. Israel won that game by a score of 8–0.

During the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Benayoun became the Israeli national team’s leading player after equalizing against Cyprus at home (in a game that Israel won 2–1) and scoring twice against Switzerland. Benayoun assisted the winning goal in Cyprus after Nir Davidovich saved a crucial goal. His outstanding performances gave Israel a chance to qualify for the World Cup, but they fell short.

Benayoun was named captain of the Israeli national team shortly before the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers. Benayoun has scored two goals in eight qualifier appearances. 

4. Yossi Benayoun, served in the military

Benayoun joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) when he was eighteen, as military service is compulsory by law in Israel.

He spent three years in the navy as a sports instructor. Benayoun’s football career was not jeopardized because army service is flexible for professional athletes, and he continued to play in the Israeli league.

5. Benayoun refused to be substituted during a match

Yossi Benayoun signing autographs for fans. Photo by NYC2TLV.

Benayoun scored 19 goals in 38 matches for Maccabi Haifa in the inaugural Israeli Premier League from 1999 to 2000 (this league replaced the Liga Leumit, which then became the second tier of club football).

Benayoun led Haifa to their first championship in seven years in the 2000–01 season, under the direction of Avram Grant, and was named the season’s Most Valuable Player after scoring 13 goals in 37 games. Another successful season saw him finish as the league’s joint sixth-highest goal scorer.

6. Benayoun played for Arsenal for a whole season

Yossi Benayoun of Arsenal FC. Photo by Wonker.

Yossi signed at Arsenal on loan from Premier League rivals Chelsea in August 2011 and stayed for the entire season. After struggling to hold down a regular first-team spot at Stamford Bridge, Israel captain made the move on transfer deadline day.

Yossi captivated himself to Arsenal fans after helping the Gunners finish third and gain automatic qualification for the Champions League. Opportunities were scarce at first, and it was not until the latter months of the season that he began to make a significant impact at the Club.

Yossi was frequently selected by Wenger for the season’s biggest games, and his performance on the left wing in the 5-2 win over Tottenham earned him a more regular spot. Soon after, he was a regular in the first team, scoring against Wolves, Norwich, and West Brom before the season ended.

Yossi has previously played in the Premier League with Liverpool and West Ham, as well as in La Liga with Racing Santander. For the 2012/13 season, he returned to the Hammers on loan.

7. Yossi Benayoun was Israel’s national team captain

Hapoel Ra’anana vs. Maccabi Haifa F.C., 3 October, 2015. Photo by: Botend- Wikimedia

Benayoun was named captain of the Israeli national team shortly before the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers.

8. Yossi Benayoun is Israel’s second-highest international football scorer

Benayoun thanking fans. Photo by Botend.

Benayoun has 102 caps for Israel and is the country’s second highest scorer with 24 international goals.

9. Yossi Benayoun falls in love after the first date with Mirit Ben Yosef

Benayoun met Mirit Ben Yosef, his future wife, in September 1995, when he was fifteen years old. In high school, the two were in the same class.

“After only two days of knowing her and dating her once, I told her that we would marry, be happy, and have children together,” Benayoun recalled (Marlin-Rosenzweig, 2006).

Benayoun and Ben Yosef married on May 14, 2002, in a lavish ceremony that received extensive coverage in the local media.

May, the couple’s first child, was born in Spain in November 2003, where they were living at the time. 

10. Yossi Benayoun retired at 38 years

Yossi Benayoun.  Photo by Brian Minkoff.

The Israeli finished his career with Beitar Jerusalem, where he last played.