Maccabi Haifa F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Maccabi Haifa Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Greens The Greens from the Carmel |
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| Short name | MHA | |||
| Founded | 1913 | |||
| Ground | Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa, Israel | |||
| Capacity | 30,942 | |||
| Owner | Ya'akov Shahar | |||
| President | Ya'akov Shahar | |||
| Head coach | Barak Bakhar | |||
| 2021–22 | Israeli Premier League, 1st of 14 (champions) | |||
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Maccabi Haifa Football Club (Hebrew: מועדון הכדורגל מכבי חיפה, romanized: Moadon haKaduregel Makabi Ḥefa) is a professional football team from Haifa, Israel. They are often called "The Greens" because of their team colors. The club plays in the top Israeli league, the Israeli Premier League. Their home games are held at Sammy Ofer Stadium, which they share with their city rivals, Hapoel Haifa. This stadium is the second largest in Israel, holding over 30,000 fans!
Maccabi Haifa is one of the "Big Four" football clubs in Israel. The name "Maccabi" means 'there is no one like you among the gods'. This also connects to the Star of David symbol on their team logo. Maccabi Haifa has won many titles, including fifteen league championships. This is the second highest number of wins, right after their biggest rivals, Maccabi Tel Aviv. They have also won six State Cups and five Toto Cups.
The team once won both the championship and the cup in the same season, which is called winning the "double". Maccabi Haifa was also the first Israeli club to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2002–03 season. They hold the record for the most Champions League group stage appearances for an Israeli team, with three times. Recently, Maccabi Haifa won the Israeli Premier League in 2020–21, their first championship in ten years. They then won the next two titles, making it three championships in a row!
The current coach for Maccabi Haifa is Barak Bakhar. He returned to the team after a short time in the Serbian League. He was the same coach who led the club to their three recent league titles and helped them qualify for the Champions League in 2022.
Contents
Club History
Starting Out
Maccabi Haifa Football Club began in 1913 in the port city of Haifa. Back then, there wasn't an official football league in Mandatory Palestine. So, the club mostly played friendly matches.
The club became active again in February 1923. They played in a competition called "The Hebrew Cup". Maccabi Haifa made it to the final but lost 0–2 to Maccabi Nes Tziona.
In its early years, Maccabi Haifa was not as famous as its city rival, Hapoel Haifa. However, they were known for their exciting, attacking style of play. They focused on good technique and short passes.
In 1942, the club reached the Israel State Cup final. But they lost badly, 12–1, to Beitar Tel Aviv. For many years, Maccabi Haifa was a smaller club. They often moved between the top league (Liga Leumit) and lower divisions.
In 1962, the team won its first major title. They beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 5–2 in the State Cup final. The next year, they reached the final again. But they lost 1–0 to Hapoel Haifa in the first ever Haifa Derby cup final.
Becoming Champions: The 1980s
The 1980s were a big decade for Maccabi Haifa. They finally joined the group of "Israeli champions". They won the league title three times: in 1983–84, 1984–85, and 1988–89.
In the 1983–84 season, Maccabi Haifa won their first championship. This was under coach Shlomo Sharf. The team was known for its "all-around-offense" and flashy style. They played with four strikers, including Moshe Selecter, Zahi Armeli, and Ronny Rosenthal. Their defense was built around their amazing goalkeeper, Avi Ran.
A year later, Maccabi Haifa won their second championship. In 1986, they narrowly missed out on another title. They lost a controversial match against Hapoel Tel Aviv. In 1988, Maccabi Haifa had their biggest win ever. They crushed Maccabi Tel Aviv 10–0. This game helped start the strong rivalry between the two clubs. In 1989, the club won another championship with coach Amazzia Levkovic.
Dominance in the 1990s
In the 1990s, Maccabi Haifa became a very strong club in Israel. They started by winning the Double (league and cup) in the 1990–91 season. New talented young players like Eyal Berkovic, Reuven Atar, and Tal Banin joined the team.
In 1992, Ya'akov Shahar bought Maccabi Haifa. He became the owner and president. Under his leadership, the club became financially stable. They also adopted professional ways of working, similar to European clubs.
The 1993–94 season was amazing for Maccabi Haifa. After winning the 1993 cup, they played very well in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They beat Torpedo Moscow and Parma. They only lost on penalties. In the league that season, they made history. They were the first and only team in Israeli football to go unbeaten for the entire season! They had an amazing streak of 48 games without a loss. This team, with players like Eyal Berkovic, Reuven Atar, Alon Mizrahi, and Serhiy Kandaurov, is considered one of the best in Israeli football history.
After 1995, Maccabi Haifa went seven years without winning the league. Many of their popular players were sold to European clubs. The team also changed managers often. Despite this, they still won the National Cup in 1998. In 1999, under coach Dušan Uhrin, Maccabi Haifa reached the quarter-finals of the Cup Winners' Cup. They beat Paris Saint-Germain and SV Ried. However, they lost in the quarter-final. The club's winning ways returned when Avram Grant became manager.
The 2000s and Beyond
Avram Grant became Maccabi Haifa's manager in 2000. He helped the team play with a strong attacking style again. Grant and a much better squad led the club to win the championship. A year later, Grant won a second championship. This team had a strong Israeli defense with Alon Harazi, Arik Benado, and Adoram Keise. They also had talented foreign players like Giovanni Rosso, Raimondas Žutautas, and young Nigerian striker Yakubu. After these two championships, Avram Grant left to coach the Israeli national team. Itzhak Shum took over as manager.
In 2002, Haifa made history. They became the first Israeli team to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. In this stage, they beat Olympiacos and Manchester United. Haifa earned 7 points and scored 12 goals. They finished in 3rd place, which meant they could play in the UEFA Cup.
In the 2003–04 season, Maccabi Haifa won the championship. This was largely due to other teams not playing well. Maccabi Haifa's youth team (ages 16–18) also won their championship.
The 2005–06 season was historic. Coach Ronny Levy led the club to 11 straight victories at the start of the season. This helped Maccabi Haifa win the league title with a big lead. However, they were not as lucky in European games. They lost to the strong Swedish club, Malmö FF.
In the 2006–07 season, the club played against Liverpool. They lost the first game in England but tied the return match in Ukraine. This sent Haifa to the UEFA Cup. In the UEFA Cup group stage, they faced tough teams like Rangers and Livorno. They played well and advanced to the next round.
In the 2007–08 season, Maccabi Haifa finished 5th in the league. They won the Toto Cup after beating Bnei-Sakhnin 2–0. Coach Ronny Levy then left the team.
Haifa started the 2008–09 season hoping to stay a top team. At the end of the season, coach Elisha Levy won his first title. Haifa made Israeli soccer history by winning six championships in one decade!
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Maccabi Haifa returned to the UEFA Champions League for the 2009–10 season. They beat FC Red Bull Salzburg 3–0 to qualify. In the group stage, they played against Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Bordeaux. Haifa lost all six games, scoring no goals and letting in eight. The club then lost the championship title to Hapoel Tel Aviv on the very last day.
In the 2010–11 Israeli Premier League season, Maccabi Haifa won the Israeli Championship. But they lost the chance to win the "Double" by losing to Hapoel Tel Aviv in the State Cup final.
The 2011–12 season was disappointing. The team was knocked out of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers by the Belgian club Genk after a penalty shootout. In Israel, Maccabi Haifa struggled. They finished in a disappointing 5th place. They also lost the State Cup final to Hapoel Tel Aviv with a controversial late goal. Because of this, owner Ya'akov Shahar hired former player Reuven Atar as manager.
With Reuven Atar as coach, Haifa had their worst start ever. They had 1 win, 4 draws, and 4 losses in their first 9 games. Atar was fired and replaced by Arik Benado, a former team captain. Under Benado, Haifa improved greatly. They finished 2nd in the league, fighting Maccabi Tel Aviv for the title.
On July 25, 2013, Maccabi Haifa set a new record for the biggest win by an Israeli club in European competition. They beat Khazar Lankaran 8–0 in the UEFA Europa League qualifying round.
On May 24, 2016, Maccabi Haifa won the Israel State Cup Final by beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 1–0. This was their first cup win in 18 years, and it meant they would return to European competitions.
At the start of the 2020–21 season, Maccabi Haifa reached the UEFA Europa League play-off round. They beat Kairat Almaty and FC Rostov. But in the play-off round, they lost 2–7 to Tottenham Hotspur. This was their biggest defeat ever in the tournament.
On May 30, 2021, after 10 tough years, Maccabi Haifa won the Israeli Premier League championship! This was their 13th title. They beat Hapoel Be'er Sheva 3–2 in the last game. Players like Josh Cohen, Neta Lavi, and Dolev Haziza won MVP awards. Their coach, Barak Bakhar, was named "coach of the year".
In the 2021–22 season, the team was knocked out of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers early. But two weeks later, they won the 2021 Israel Super Cup by beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 2–0. They then qualified for the Europa Conference League group stage. They finished third in their group and did not advance.
The club went on to win the league cup. At the end of the season, they won the 2021-22 Israeli Premier League championship. This was their second title in a row and 14th overall. Omer Atzili was the top scorer and assister. He was also named "footballer of the year". The team reached the Israel State Cup final but lost to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in a penalty shootout. They also lost to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in a penalty shootout in the 2022 Israel Super Cup.
In August 2022, the club reached the UEFA Champions League group stage for the third time! They beat Olympiacos, Apollon Limassol, and Red Star Belgrade to get there. In the group stage, they were in a tough group with Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Benfica. In their second game, Tjaronn Chery scored Maccabi Haifa's first Champions League goal in 20 years! They lost that game 1–3 to Paris Saint-Germain. But in their fourth game, Maccabi Haifa beat Juventus 2–0! They were eliminated after a big 7–2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
On May 15, 2023, the team won the 2022–23 Israeli Premier League championship. This was their third championship in a row and 15th overall! They became the first Israeli club to win the league while also reaching the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Club Support and Rivalries
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor |
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| 1980–82 | Adidas | Alfa Romeo |
| 1982–84 | Umbro | Drucker |
| 1984–92 | Adidas | Volvo |
| 1992–93 | Lotto | |
| 1993–96 | Isracard | |
| 1996–98 | Nike | Volvo |
| 1998–02 | Lotto | |
| 2002–04 | Honda | |
| 2004–07 | Puma | |
| 2007–11 | Lotto | |
| 2011–18 | Nike | |
| 2018–23 | Volvo | |
| 2023– | Adidas |
The club is sponsored by Ya'akov Shahar, who owns Mayer's Cars and Trucks Ltd. This company imports Volvo and Honda cars to Israel. Maccabi Haifa is one of the most popular clubs in Israel. Most of their fans live in Haifa and northern Israel. Since moving to Sammy Ofer Stadium in 2015, about 24,000 fans attend home games on average. This is the highest attendance in Israel!
A survey in 2010 showed that Maccabi Haifa had the most fans in Israel, about 25.8% of all football fans. Another survey in 2012 confirmed this. It also showed that 75% of people in Haifa support the team.
The most dedicated fans used to sit in stands 11–12 at the old Kiryat Eliezer Stadium. These fans are known as "Yetzia Gimel". In 1994, Uzi Hitman wrote the team's championship song, "Green in the eyes". It became a huge hit with fans.
In 2002, fans created an organization called Green Apes. They support both the soccer and basketball teams. Another fan group, Inferno Verde, started in 2010. They work with Green Apes to support the team. Maccabi Haifa fans also have friendly ties with fans of other clubs, like AZ Alkmaar and Werder Bremen.
The club has an official website with news, articles, and information about players. They also have an online store. Since 2011, Haifa has an official Facebook page and a YouTube channel. These help them connect with fans around the world.
City Rivalry: Haifa Derby
Maccabi Haifa has a big rivalry with their city neighbors, Hapoel Haifa. When these two teams play, it's called the Haifa derby.
The Rivalry with Maccabi Tel Aviv
The rivalry between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv is very strong. It's sometimes called "the Israeli Classico". This rivalry is about which club is the best in Israel. Maccabi Haifa wants to win more titles than Maccabi Tel Aviv, who have the most titles in Israel. They also want to be the top club in European competitions.
Haifa and Tel Aviv have often competed for the championship. Haifa beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 10–0 in 1988. This was seen as "revenge" for a 2–10 loss in 1949. Haifa also beat Tel Aviv 5–0 in the 1993–94 season. Maccabi Haifa became very strong in the early 2000s, while Maccabi Tel Aviv's performance dropped.
The rivalry became very intense again in the 2019–20 season. After years of Maccabi Tel Aviv being dominant, the two teams fought for the championship. Maccabi Tel Aviv won that year. But in the 2020–21 season, Maccabi Haifa won the league title. In recent years, they have played some unforgettable games, including a dramatic 4–3 win for Maccabi Tel Aviv and an amazing 3–2 comeback win for Maccabi Haifa.
Club Logo
The club's logo comes from the "Maccabi" sports organization. The main part of the logo is the Hebrew word מכבי ("Maccabi") shaped like the Star of David. This symbol is used by most Maccabi teams. For many years, the logo was just this "Maccabi" star with the word חיפה ("Haifa") below it. It was either green on white or white on green.
In the late 1980s, a lion was added to the logo, but it was later removed. In the early 1990s, when the club started playing in Europe, the logo changed to its modern look. It now has a football inside a green circle with the words מכבי חיפה מכ ("Maccabi Haifa FC") in Hebrew and English. The original Maccabi symbol is in the top right corner.
After the 2005–06 season, when the team won its 10th championship, a gold star was added above the logo. Each star now represents 5 championship titles. After winning their 15th championship in the 2022-23 Israeli Premier League season, the club added a third star to its logo.
Home Grounds
Kiryat Eliezer Stadium
Maccabi Haifa first played at Kiryat Haim, which is now Hapoel Haifa's training ground. In 1955, they received a gift from an Italian labor union: a new football pitch in Haifa. This became their new home. The first game there was a Haifa derby, which Maccabi Haifa won 4–1 against Hapoel Haifa.
Kiryat Eliezer Stadium could not host Maccabi Haifa's historic UEFA Champions League group stage matches in 2002. UEFA made them play outside Israel due to security concerns. They played in Nicosia, Cyprus. Later, after security improved, Maccabi Haifa was allowed to play European matches in Israel. But Kiryat Eliezer was not good enough for UEFA. So, the team played European home games at Bloomfield Stadium and Ramat Gan Stadium in Tel Aviv. Eventually, Maccabi Haifa was allowed to host European matches at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium.
The last match at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium was on May 14, 2014. Maccabi Haifa played against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Sammy Ofer Stadium
Because of the club's success in Europe, the city of Haifa offered land for a new stadium. It was built near the beach at the southern entrance to the city. The plans were approved in 2008, and Sammy Ofer Stadium was finished in November 2013. It cost about $135 million and can hold 30,942 people.
The stadium is named after Sammy Ofer, who donated $20 million to build it. It is the home ground for both Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Haifa. It also hosts international matches for the Israel national football team.
Kfar Galim Training Facility
The Kfar Galim training facility is where Maccabi Haifa practices. It is located in the village of Kfar Galim.
Club Achievements
Domestic Trophies
League Titles
- Israeli Championships
- Winners (15): 1983–84, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
- Runners-up (10): 1985–86, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2002–03, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2023–24
- Second Division
- Winners (4): 1944–45, 1946–47, 1965–66, 1974–75
Cup Wins
- State Cup
- Winners (6): 1961–62, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2015–16
- Runners-up (11): 1942, 1962–63, 1970–71, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2001–02, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2021–22
- Toto Cup
- Winners (5): 1994, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2021–22
- Israeli Supercup
- Winners (5): 1962, 1985, 1989, 2021, 2023
European Competitions
- UEFA Champions League
- Group stage (3) (qualified for the main tournament): 2002–03, 2009–10, 2022–23
- UEFA Europa League
- Round of 16 (1): 2006–07
- Third round (1): 2002–03
- Group stage (3): 2011–12, 2013–14, 2023–24
- UEFA Europa Conference League
- Round of 16 (1): 2023–24
- Group stage (1): 2021–22
- UEFA Cup Winners Cup
- Quarter-finals (1): 1998–99
- Second round (1): 1993–94
Youth Team Trophies
- UEFA Youth League
- Play-offs: 2016–17
- Group stage: 2022–23
- Sukkot Cup
- Winners (1): 1958
- Lilian Cup
- Winners (1): 1984
- Milk Cup
- Winners (1): 2004
- Insel Cup
- Winners (1): 2016
Club Records and Statistics
- Biggest home win: 10–0 against Maccabi Tel Aviv (1988)
- Biggest league loss: 0–9 against Hapoel Petah Tikva (1953)
- Biggest cup loss: 1–12 against Beitar Tel Aviv in the Israel State Cup Final (1942)
- Record home attendance: 39,120 against Juventus (2009)
- Most league games played: 419 by Alon Harazi
- Most games played in one season: 66 by Adoram Keise
- Most league goals scored: 90 by Zahi Armeli
- Most league goals in a single season: 28 by Alon Mizrahi (1993–94) and Shlomi Arbeitman (2009–10)
- Most goals scored in one match: 6 by Aharon Gershgoren against Ironi Kiryat Shmona (1965)
- Most league goals in a season (team): 97 (1993–94)
- Most points in a season: 95 from 39 games (1993–94)
- Most league assists in a season: 16 by Eyal Berkovic (1993–94) and Yossi Benayoun (1999–00)
- Longest unbeaten streak: 46 games (across 3 seasons: 1993, 1993–94, 1994)
- Longest scoring streak (at least one goal): 39 games (1993–94)
- Most away games without losing: 30 (1993–94)
- Fewest goals allowed per game: 16 goals in 35 games (average: 0.46) in Ligat Ha'Al (2009–10)
Team Players
Current Squad
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Other Players Under Contract
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Players Out on Loan
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Retired Numbers
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Team Captains Through the Years
| Years | Captain |
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| 1963–77 |  Yisha'ayahu Schwager |
| 1978–79 | Oded Baloush |
| 1979 | Yaron Persalani |
| 1979–82 | Menashe Mizrahi |
| 1982–83 | Elisha Levy |
| 1983–85 | Baruch Maman |
| 1985–86 | Avraham Abukarat |
| 1991–94 | Eitan Aharoni |
| 1994–96 | Alon Hazan |
| 1996–97 | Ronny Levy |
| 1997–98 |  Serhiy Kandaurov |
| 1998–00 | Alon Mizrahi |
| 2000–06 | Arik Benado |
| 2006–14 | Yaniv Katan |
| 2014–16 | Yossi Benayoun |
| 2016–18 | Dekel Keinan |
| 2018–19 | Rami Gershon |
| 2019–23 | Neta Lavi |
| 2023–24 |  Tjaronn Chery |
| 2024– | Lior Refaelov |
Club Personnel
Current Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Barak Bakhar |
| Assistant Coach | Amir Nussbaum |
| Assistant Coach | Shahar Weisinger |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Guy Weisinger |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Eliad Graf |
| Physical trainer | Dror Shimshon |
| Physical trainer | Uri Harel |
| Physical trainer | Gal Vaknin |
| Video analyst | Eyal Gabay |
| Video analyst | Gal Avidan |
| Mental coach | Danny Inbar |
| Sport Director | Gal Alberman |
| Club Administrator | Gil Ofek |
Last updated: 29 May 2024
Source: F.C. Maccabi Haifa Official Website: https://mhaifafc.com/management?CatId=2&lang=en
Youth Department
2024–25 Squad
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Current Coaching Staff (Youth)
| Position | Staff |
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| Head Coach | Itay Mordechai |
| Club Administrator | Eran Levin |
| Fitness Coach | Jorden Sadda |
| Analist | Idan Yona |
Last updated: 10 June 2024
Source:
Famous Players and Managers
Former Players
For more details, see List of Maccabi Haifa F.C. players and Category:Maccabi Haifa F.C. players.
Players with Most Appearances
| Rank | Name | Period | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alon Harazi |
1990–97 1998-09 |
495 | 29 |
| 2 | Yaniv Katan |
1998–2005 2006–2014 |
440 | 79 |
| 3 | Arik Benado |
1990–94 1996–2006 2010–11 |
399 | 9 |
| 4 | Avraam Abukarat |
1977–93 | 396 | 9 |
| 5 | Nir Davidovich |
1994–2013 | 386 | 0 |
| 6 | Eitan Aharoni |
1978–89 1990–94 |
368 | 7 |
| 7 | Yisha'ayahu Schwager |
1962–76 | 360 | 11 |
| 8 | Aharon Gershgoren |
1964–78 | 334 | 27 |
| 9 | Baruch Maman |
1974–85 | 303 | 45 |
| - | Yosi Kramer |
1974–85 1988–89 |
303 |
Managerial History
See also: List of Maccabi Haifa F.C. managers
Yisrael Schwartz (1946–47)
Taurentauer (1950–52)
Otto Schlefenberg (1952–54)- Eli Fuchs(1954–56)
- Andor Kisch (1956–57)
Ariyeh Koch (1957–59)
David Farkash (1959–61)
Alex Forbes (1961–62)- Andor Kisch (1962)
- Otto Schlefenberg (1962–63)
Vasili Spasov (1963–65)- Israel Halivner (1965)
- Avraham Menchel (1965–69)
- Edmond Schmilovich (1969–70)
- Jonny Hardy (1970–72)
- Avraham Menchel (1972–74)
- Ori Weinberg (1974–75)
- Shimon Shinar (1975–77)
- Moshe Sasson (1977)
- Eli Fuchs (1977)
- Jonny Hardy (1977–78)
- Eran Kulik (1978–79)
- Mordechai Spiegler (1979)
- Jonny Hardy (1979–83)
Jack Mansell (1982–83)- Shlomo Scharf (1983–87)
- Dror Kashtan (1 July 1987 – 30 June 1988)
- Amazzia Levkovic (1988–90)
- Shlomo Scharf (1990–92)
- Giora Spiegel (1993–98)
- Daniel Brailovsky (1 July 1998 – 30 June 1999)
- Dušan Uhrin (1999–00)
- Eli Cohen (2000)
- Avram Grant (1 July 2000 – 30 June 2002)
- Itzhak Shum (1 July 2002 – 30 June 2003)
- Ronny Levy (30 June 2003 – 22 December 2008)
- Elisha Levy (2 April 2008 – 16 May 2012)
- Reuven Atar (16 May 2012 – 13 November 2012)
- Arik Benado (17 November 2012 – 18 May 2014)
Aleksandar Stanojević (1 July 2014 – 28 December 2014)- Marco Balbul (28 December 2014 – 30 May 2015)
- Ronny Levy (30 May 2015 – 27 July 2016)
- Shmulik Hanin (caretaker) (28 July 2016 – 8 August 2016)
René Meulensteen (9 August 2016 – 13 February 2017)- Guy Luzon (13 February 2017 – 9 December 2017)
- Fred Rutten (24 January 2018 – 1 November 2018)
- Eli Guttman (8 November 2018 – 3 December 2018)
- Marco Balbul (19 December 2018 – 7 July 2020)
- Barak Bakhar (8 July 2020 – 29 May 2023)
- Messay Dego (30 May 2023 – 26 May 2024)
- Barak Bakhar (1 June 2024 – )
See also
In Spanish: Maccabi Haifa Football Club para niños
- Maccabi Haifa F.C. in European football
- Football in Israel
