Israel's youth team plays in the World Cup, which takes place in Argentina, far from home geographically, but the crowd that accompanies it at every game gives it a homely feeling.
In the heroic victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals, Ofir Haim's players enjoyed a very big advantage in the stands as some 1,000 blue and white pushed them to victory in extra-time. Ahead of the semi-finals, which will be held at the large La Plata Stadium (53,<> seats), the team expects a much larger number of Israelis in the stands.
The team celebrates the historic victory over Brazil, Photo: Reuters
"This time there's no way I'm missing it," Roi Reznik, a 24-year-old Israeli traveler in South America, told Israel Hayom. "I'm a football patient, and I started my trip to Argentina a week after winning the World Cup. Not getting ahead of the trip is the biggest mistake I've made, so many Israelis tell how they cried after Messi's goal against Mexico, or how they hugged a person they didn't know after winning the final."
Reznik, who is now in Central America, may have given up on returning to Argentina in the quarter-finals, but will not make the same mistake again: "After six months on the continent, I feel that someone from above has arranged a new opportunity for me to be in an event like this. We agreed at the beginning of the tournament that if we go to the semi-finals, no matter what the situation, we buy a ticket back to Buenos Aires."
Thousands of young people slept for the youth team, Photo: Reuters
"We didn't believe this would happen"
The youth team also enjoys the great support of a Jewish community living in Argentina, and is filled with a few parents and families of the players who accompany them all the way. Towards the semi-finals, fans began collecting money to buy cheer equipment for the game, and all the players in the squad donated money themselves.
It is estimated that the Jewish community in Argentina and the many travelers who have already followed the team, may be joined by masses of Israelis who are on the continent, and even fans who will come especially from Israel for the historic and exciting event.
Israeli parents in the stands, Photo: Reuters
"We declared that if we reached the semifinals we would fly especially, but no one believed it would actually happen," says Amit Feldman, another Israeli who bought a plane ticket to the semifinals. "We saw the game against Brazil and we were on the verge of tears and shock. It took us an hour to digest and realize that we had to change plans. Three hours after the game we already bought a plane ticket to Argentina."
The many backpackers who changed their plans, gave up on destinations and paid quite a bit of money to see Ofir Haim's group, are sure that they are about to see history. "After one minute in the game against Brazil, I saw Eli Madmon give the opponent's player a little push and give him a look of fire in his eyes, where I realized there was something else here," Reznik said.
"At the end of the first half I got on a flight. All the way I try to think about what's going on, with never-ending tension. Full of thoughts running through my head and especially wondering how I'm not there," he says of the tense moments. "The plane lands and I run to check the result, minute 119 and we lead Brazil 2-3. Don't believe it, a storm of emotions, crazy euphoria.
"I walk in circles at the airport, not digesting what happened. I call friends and we didn't even talk about the game - we immediately booked a ticket. I just want one thing, to bring the trophy."
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Feldman and Resnick. Both on their way to Argentina,
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