Ahmad Saba'a

Ahmad Saba'a (or Ahmed Saba,[1] Arabic: أحمد سبع‎, Hebrew: אחמד סבע‎; born 24 May 1980) is an Arab-Israeli former footballer.

Ahmad Saba'a
Personal information
Full name Ahmad Saba'a
Date of birth (1980-05-24) 24 May 1980
Place of birth Majd al-Kurum, Israel
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Hapoel Bu'eine (manager)
Youth career
Hapoel Majd al-Krum
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Hapoel Majd al-Krum
2002–2003 Hapoel Acre 20 (10)
2003–2009 Hapoel Bnei Lod 149 (61)
2009–2013 Maccabi Netanya 124 (51)
2013–2014 Ironi Kiryat Shmona 6 (0)
2014 Hapoel Ra'anana 3 (0)
2014 Hapoel Bnei Lod 7 (0)
2014–2015 Ihud Bnei Majd al-Kurum 6 (1)
2015 Hilal Al-Quds 0 (0)
2015–2016 Hapoel Kafr Kanna 27 (6)
Teams managed
2014–2015 Ihud Bnei Majd al-Krum
2016–2017 Ihud Bnei Majd al-Krum
2017 Hapoel Umm al-Fahm
2019–2020 Hapoel Kafr Kanna
2020– Hapoel Bu'eine
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

Saba'a was born in Majd al-Kurum, Israel, to a Muslim-Arab family.[2] His cousin Dia Saba'a is a footballer as well.[3]

Club career

Hapoel Majd al-Kurum

Ahmad grew up in the youth ranks of Hapoel Majd al-Krum and made his debut for the senior side in 1997. In 1999-00 he was one of the main players in the club's historic promotion to Liga Artzit. He left Majd al-Krum in 2002.

Hapoel Acre

Ahmad moved to Hapoel Acre after signing a one-year contract in July 2002. Even though he played well for the club with 10 goals in 20 league games, he didn't extended his contract with the club.

Hapoel Bnei Lod

In August 2003 he moved to Hapoel Bnei Lod. He helped Lod win two promotions, the first came in the 2004-05 season when the club won Liga Alef, the next season the club won Liga Artzit with Ahmad as one of the factors for the team's success. In 6 seasons with the club Saba'a scored 61 goals in 149 league games.

Maccabi Netanya

On 20 January 2009, Saba'a signed a one-year deal with Maccabi Netanya.[4] His first goal for the club came against Sliema Wanderers in the UEFA Europa League on 23 July 2009. In his first season with Netanya he became the club's top scorer, a feat repeated the following three seasons. In June 2011 he extended his contract with the club for 3 more years under a new contract worth $390,000.[5] In September 2011 he was appointed as the captain of the team.[6] He was voted as player of the 2011-12 season while securing his position as the top goalscorer with 20 league goals.[7] On 4 November 2012 he became the first to score a goal in the opening game of the new Netanya Stadium as Netanya won the game 2-1 against Hapoel Tel Aviv.[8]

In 4 seasons with the club Saba'a scored 62 goals in a total of 153 games in all club competitions. Saba'a is in the top ten all time goalscorers of Maccabi Netanya.

Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona

On 16 May 2013, after 4 years with Netanya he moved to Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona for a transfer fee of $120,000. Saba'a signed a two years contract with Kiryat Shmona.[9]

Hapoel Ra'anana

After a terrible half season with Kiryat Shmona, in January 2014 Saba'a moved to Hapoel Ra'anana.[10] One month later he asked to be released from the club.[11]

International career

After reaching the highest levels of Israeli domestic football, Saba'a has said that his goal is to one day play for the Israeli national football team.[12] He has never featured for any national youth football teams. On 18 March 2012 after a lot of media coverage on the fact that he has yet been called for the national team, Saba'a was quoted that he will not play for the Palestine national side - "I won't play for Palestine because I'm an Israeli player".[13]

Personal life

In 2010, Saba'a founded his own football school, operating in his hometown of Majd al-Kurum. The school has 180 protégés and its main goal is to bring local talent from Majd al-Kurum to the second and first division leagues in Israel.[14]

Statistics
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Israel League State Cup League Cup Continental Total
2006–07Hapoel Bnei LodLiga Leumit29112220003313
2007–083060010200408
2008–09311310115004318
2009–10Maccabi NetanyaLigat ha'Al2691021313211
2010–1135124452004418
2011–1233203230003922
2012–1330101050213811
2013–14Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona6000000060
Hapoel Ra'anana3020000050
2014–15Hapoel Bnei LodLiga Leumit70004000110
2014–15Hapoel Majd al-KurumLiga Alef6100000061
2015Hilal Al-QudsWest Bank Premier League0000001010
2015–16Hapoel Kafr KannaLiga Alef276300000306

Honours

Team

Individual

References
  1. http://www.football.org.il/en/players/player/?player_id=19950
  2. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/give-football-a-chance-to-break-the-cycle-of-violence/
  3. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/give-football-a-chance-to-break-the-cycle-of-violence/
  4. Blech, Dor (20 October 2009). אחמד סבע חתם במכבי נתניה [Ahmed Saba'a Signed With Maccabi Netanya] (in Hebrew). Walla!. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  5. http://www.one.co.il/Article/180943.html
  6. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4116872,00.html
  7. http://one.co.il/Article/199685.html
  8. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4301167,00.html
  9. http://one.co.il/Article/217091.html
  10. http://www.one.co.il/Article/13-14/1,1,31,0/228144.html
  11. http://www.one.co.il/Article/229499.html
  12. Artzi, Shai (20 October 2009). אחמד סבע: "חולם להגיע לנבחרת ישראל" [Ahmed Saba'a: "Dream of Making Israeli National Team"]. Yedioth Ahronoth (in Hebrew). Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  13. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4204131,00.html
  14. http://one.co.il/Article/190596.html
  15. http://www.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=920&DocID=118159&Lang=he
  16. http://www.nrg.co.il/online/71/ART2/350/295.html
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