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Itai Mordechai: "We can qualify for the final eight" | Israel Hayom

2023-05-21T06:09:04.123Z

Highlights: The chance to make it through the group stage and the progress Israel has made at young ages. Assistant coach of the national under-20 team, in a special interview just before the opening game of the World Cup against Colombia. An entire country fell in love last summer with Israel's youth team, which became the runners-up of the European Championship. "A few days ago we drove here and saw a huge picture of Diego Maradona on an entire building, and you understand what country you are in," says Mordechai.


The chance to make it through the group stage and the progress Israel has made at young ages • Assistant coach of the national under-20 team, in a special interview just before the opening game of the World Cup against Colombia


An entire country fell in love last summer with Israel's youth team, which became the runners-up of the European Championship, and today Ofir Haim's team will make its appearance at the World Cup for the first time in history. It will happen in a tough game against Colombia, which is expected to be attended by hundreds, perhaps thousands, of fans from Argentina's Jewish community, perhaps on the way to another wonderful journey like the one from last summer.

"Our excitement index is increasing by the minute. A day or two before we flew here, we said, 'Wow, this is happening.' Suddenly you catch yourself and realize that you're at the World Cup, that you're in Argentina, that you're in a dream, and it's not something that happens every day," said the team's assistant coach, Itai Mordechai, in a special interview with Israel Hayom. "A few days ago we drove here and saw a huge picture of Diego Maradona on an entire building, we went down and took pictures, and you understand what country you are in and what status we have reached. Now we're all just focused on the game against Colombia."

The national team players keep morale high, yesterday in training, photo: Assi Kieffer, Israel Football Association

What is the importance of the opening game?

"The first game can give a lot of confidence to the players going forward. It's very significant, because it's a tournament where if you win the first game you're a foot and a half in the next stage because two teams go up from each group, and the best third will also go up. But even if, God forbid, we don't win, we can do the job in the next two games.

"We stopped being afraid and talking in terms of playing for honor a long time ago. It's not about arrogance or disrespect for the opponent, but just because of the belief in our players, in the staff, in the Israeli player. We instill it in the players that we are a team that wants to advance, that looks every team in the eye."

Is it realistic to get past the group stage?

"Factually - yes. We fell into a very strong house, a house where there is not a single team that is weaker. All teams are equal – whether it's Senegal which is the African champions, Japan which is a team of machines, or Colombia which is a typical South American team. But let's not forget that we are the runners-up of the European Championship. We've come a long way with this team, and we think we can, and really want to, qualify for the final eight."

The national team players keep morale high, yesterday in training, photo: Assi Kieffer, Israel Football Association

What is the overarching goal of the youth team?

"The goal is to promote the players and grow players for the first team, and I think that from this yearbook of the national team at least five or six players will come out to the senior team, which is a lot for one generation. And I don't consider Oscar Gloch, who is not with us.

"These players broke through at a young age, and most of them are already considered legitimate players in the Premier League, at the age of 20-19. Five players will leave this team for the Euros next month, so we are already meeting our goals. I expect a good generation to continue, but there has to be cooperation with the clubs, who need to understand that they have an asset in hand that might bring them future income with the sale of players to Europe."

"High glass ceiling"

Superstars like Messi and Neymar starred in their youth at the World Cup. The current Israel does not have a superstar who can reach these levels, but Mordechai believes that some of them can reach Europe, and perhaps already after this tournament.

"There are some players here who I see in a few years playing in top leagues in Europe, and now they have a huge opportunity because the whole world will see them. There is tremendous communication here, a lot of scouts and agents, and this tournament can give them a great opportunity to be discovered and wanted. I wish them that with all my heart. The more players we send to Europe, the higher the level of football for the senior team."

Mordechai with Diego in the back. "You understand what country you're in and what status we've reached," Assi Kiefer, Israel Football Association

What is the secret of this generation?

"Human capital is the most important thing in any team, company or team, and there are players here at a very high personal level. Players who know what they want from themselves, are extraordinarily professional. We constantly challenge them with professional things on the field, and they meet those challenges.

"They understand that a player without quick thinking, without acting smarts, can be the most technical in the world, but he will have a glass ceiling. That's why the glass ceiling of these players is very high, because of their thinking."

The youth team in Buenos Aires. This evening Molel Colombia, photo: Football Association

Is there a chance that Israel will return to the World Cup?

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"I'm optimistic that this will happen. Generations of talented actors are growing. We have development centers and academia, and the FA is doing everything possible to promote the players. The investment in young people has become great in all respects - coaches, training, programs. You can see that it's not by chance that there's success."

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Source: israelhayom

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