Alex Zahavi

Alexander "Alex" Abraham Zahavi (born January 21, 1991) is a retired Israeli football player.

Alex Zahavi
Personal information
Full name Alexander Abraham Zahavi
Date of birth (1991-01-21) 21 January 1991
Place of birth Los Angeles, California, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Winger, Forward
Youth career
1998–1999 Hapoel Haifa
1999–2002 Benfica
2002–2004 Arsenal
2005–2007 Barcelona
2007–2010 Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Maccabi Haifa 0 (0)
2011 → Hapoel Acre (loan) 10 (0)
2011–2012 → Vitória Setúbal (loan) 1 (0)
2012–2013 → Olhanense (loan) 0 (0)
National team‡
Portugal U-16 7 (0)
2007 Portugal U-17 8 (3)
Portugal U-18 9 (2)
Portugal U-19 3 (0)
2010 United States U-20 2 (1)
2011 Israel U-21 3 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 May 2011
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 03:12, 13 July 2015 (UTC)

Zahavi was born in the United States, the son of a Portuguese mother and Israeli father. He has represented Portugal at youth levels but considered switching federations so he can represent the United States.[1] 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.

Club career

Professional career

On July 16, 2010, Zahavi joined Maccabi Haifa 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.[2]

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.[3] Zahavi joined Portuguese top-flight side S.C. Olhanense for the 2012-2013 season.[4]

International career

Zahavi represented Portugal at various youth levels but was never called into the senior team. Because he played in an official UEFA U17[5] qualifying tournament for Portugal, he was cap tied to their national team under FIFA eligibility rules.[6] However, since he is also eligible to play for Israel or the United States, he was allowed to file for a one-time only switch with FIFA.[7]

Zahavi was called up to the United States U-20's team in November 2010 for the Torneo de las Americas.[8]

On 20 February 2011, Zahavi was called in for his first Israel U-21 camp.[9] Three days later Zahavi played in a friendly with the under-21 side against FC Arsenal Kyiv.[10] In March 2011, Zahavi was brought in for another training camp.[11] On 17 March 2011 Zahavi was named to the under-21 side for a tournament in Austria.[12] Zahavi made his debut for the side in a friendly against Georgia on 23 March 2011.[13] Zahavi scored his first goal for the under-21 side in a friendly against Romania on 26 March 2011 in Austria.[14] Zahavi floated the ball over the Romanian goalkeeper from 35 metres out after exchanging passes with Nes Zamir.[14]

Statistics
As of 28 November 2013[15]
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Israel League Israel State Cup Toto Cup Europe Total
2010–11Maccabi HaifaLiga Al0000500050
Hapoel Acre (loan)100000000100
Portugal League Taca de Portugal Taça da Liga Europe Total
2011–12VitoriaPrimeira Liga1000000010
2012–13S.C. OlhanensePrimeira Liga0000000000
Career total 110005000170

References
  1. Garza Discusses Sporting and US U20 Future
  2. http://yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=7376
  3. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/07/07/american-exports-us-youth-intl-zahavi-heads-portugal
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2012-08-31.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/clubs/player=1907944/profile/index.html
  6. Zahavi Close to US Switch
  7. FIFA Amends International Eligibility Rule
  8. http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2010/11/agudelo-bowen-among-us-under-20-call-ups.html
  9. סגל הנבחרת הצעירה למשחק מול ארסנל קייב [Squad For Under-21 Friendly Against Arsenal Kyiv] (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. 20 February 2011. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  10. הנבחרת הצעירה הפסידה 3:0 לארסנל קייב [The Under-21s Lose To Arsenal Kyiv 3:0] (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. 23 February 2011. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  11. מחנה אימונים לנבחרת הצעירה [Training Camp For Under-21s] (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. 13 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  12. סגל הנבחרת הצעירה לטורניר באוסטריה [Under-21 Side For Tournament In Austria] (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. 17 March 2011. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  13. הנבחרת הצעירה ניצחה 0:2 את גיאורגיה [The National Under-21s defeat Georgia 2:0] (in Hebrew). Israel Football Association. 23 March 2011. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  14. Bahat, Dana (26 March 2011). "1:1 לצעירה עם רומניה, נס זמיר: זה עוזר להתחבר" [1-1 For The Under-21 With Romania, Nes Zamir: This Helps Our Connecting] (in Hebrew). One.co.il. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  15. Alex Zahavi at Soccerway
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