Summary: Maccabi Petah Tikva - Beitar Jerusalem 3:0/Sport1
Tal Ben Haim has not played football since December 24, when he came off the bench for 13 minutes in a loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The 34-year-old striker is suffering from a knee injury, which soon after that game Ben Haim and the Maccabi Petah Tikva people realized that he would be forced to retire.
Today (Tuesday) he announced the hanging up of his shoes at the end of a rich career, after in the last few weeks he already started his new position in the scouting department of the club.
"Three months ago in the match (how not) between Maccabi Petah Tikva and Maccabi Tel Aviv, it was the last time I got off the grass and I knew it was the end, that I couldn't do it anymore. Today I sum up 17 and a half years of everything from everything, I feel lucky that I won Retiring in the place where it all began, but I also know that this end is the beginning of something new that I am no less excited about.
"I am proud of everything I have achieved and all the dreams that have become reality over the years.
Thank you to everyone who helped, supported, encouraged and made me better.
I couldn't ask for more than that.
Thank you, dear football, see you on the other side," the striker wrote.
"Thank you dear football, see you on the other side."
Ben Haim/Maor Alxalsi
Ben Haim grew up in the youth department of Maccabi Petah Tikva and became a permanent member of the senior team in 2008.
After breaking out in the Luzon uniform, he was sold to Hapoel Tel Aviv in the summer of 2012, and after only one season he was sold from the Reds to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
With the Yellows he won the only titles in his career - two championships, two wins in the State Cup, one win in the Toto Cup and one in the Champion of Champions.
In June 2017, he was sold to Sparta Prague for 2.9 million euros and at the time was the most expensive acquisition in the history of the Czech league, but he failed to live up to expectations, he did not score even one league goal in the Czech Republic and after a serious injury he returned in 2020 for a second term at Maccabi Tel Aviv.
In the summer of 2022, he came full circle and signed with his youth team Maccabi Petah Tikva, which he helped advance to the Premier League and now had to end his career as an active footballer.
Ben Haim made 29 appearances and scored six goals in the Israel national team uniform.
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