Tal Ben Haim facts for kids
Ben Haim warming-up for Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tal Ben Haim | ||
| Date of birth | 31 March 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Rishon LeZion, Israel | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back / Right back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2001 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2004 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 85 | (2) |
| 2004–2007 | Bolton Wanderers | 87 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | Chelsea | 13 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Manchester City | 9 | (0) |
| 2009 | → Sunderland (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | Portsmouth | 55 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | → West Ham United (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2013 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Standard Liège | 10 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Charlton Athletic | 37 | (0) |
| 2015–2018 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 63 | (0) |
| 2018–2021 | Beitar Jerusalem | 58 | (0) |
| Total | 433 | (3) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001–2002 | Israel U21 | 6 | (0) |
| 2002–2017 | Israel | 96 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2021 | |||
Tal Ben Haim (born 31 March 1982) is a former professional footballer from Israel. He was known for playing as a centre back or right back. Tal Ben Haim played for many famous clubs, including Maccabi Tel Aviv, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, and Manchester City. He also played for the Israeli national team.
Contents
Early Life and Career Start
Tal Ben Haim was born in Rishon LeZion, Israel. He started his football journey with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1998 as a young player.
His first game in the league was on 30 April 2001. He helped Maccabi win the Israeli Premier League title in the 2002–03 season. The next season, he became the team captain.
Playing for English Clubs
Tal Ben Haim spent many years playing for different clubs in England.
Bolton Wanderers
In 2004, Ben Haim joined Bolton Wanderers. He signed a three-year deal. His first season at Bolton was very good. He played 27 games.
On 1 February 2005, he scored his only goal for Bolton. It was a header from a free-kick against Tottenham Hotspur. This was his only goal in the Premier League. He also wore the captain's armband in a UEFA Cup game in 2005.
Chelsea
In June 2007, Ben Haim moved to Chelsea. He joined the club on a free transfer. He was excited to join "one of the greatest clubs in the world."
He played his first game for Chelsea against Manchester United. At first, he played regularly because other defenders were injured. But after they recovered, he became a fourth-choice defender. He played 13 Premier League games for Chelsea before moving to Manchester City.
Manchester City
Ben Haim joined Manchester City on 30 July 2008. He chose to wear the number 26 jersey. He said he would "give his best" to the club.
He made his debut for City in a UEFA Cup game. However, he did not become a regular player for the team.
Sunderland (loan)
In February 2009, Ben Haim went on loan to Sunderland. He played only 5 games for Sunderland. After his loan ended, he returned to Manchester City.
Portsmouth
On 31 August 2009, Ben Haim signed a four-year deal with Portsmouth. He quickly became one of the main centre-backs for the team.
He played 24 games for Portsmouth in his first season. He stayed with the club even after they were relegated.
West Ham United (loan)
In August 2010, Ben Haim joined West Ham United on loan. He played his first game for West Ham in the League Cup. He also played against his former club Chelsea.
His loan spell ended in January 2011. He made 8 appearances for West Ham.
Return to Portsmouth
After his loan, Ben Haim returned to Portsmouth. He played his first league game back in August 2011. Portsmouth faced financial difficulties during this time. He left the club in August 2012.
Queens Park Rangers
On 4 January 2013, Ben Haim joined Queens Park Rangers on a short contract. He made his debut the next day in an FA Cup match. He left the club at the end of the 2012–13 season.
Standard Liège
In July 2013, Ben Haim signed a two-year contract with Standard Liège in Belgium. He played ten games for the club.
Charlton Athletic
On 11 July 2014, Ben Haim joined Charlton Athletic. This was his eighth English club. He played in the opening game of the season. He was released from his contract in May 2015.
Return to Maccabi Tel Aviv
On 3 June 2015, Ben Haim signed a two-year contract to return to his first club, Maccabi Tel Aviv. He helped Maccabi reach the Champions League group stage in 2015.
Beitar Jerusalem F.C.
On 7 August 2018, Ben Haim signed a two-year contract with Beitar Jerusalem F.C. He played many games for the club. In August 2020, he extended his contract for another year.
International Career
Ben Haim played his first game for the Israel national team on 13 February 2002. This was in a friendly match against Germany. He scored his first goal for Israel from a penalty in a game against Latvia in 2011. He played 96 games for his country.
Personal Life
Tal Ben Haim has the same name as another Israeli footballer, Tal Ben Haim, who was born in 1989. To tell them apart, the older Tal Ben Haim is sometimes called Tal Ben Haim I.
Honours
Portsmouth
- FA Cup Runner-up: 2010
See also
In Spanish: Tal Ben Haim para niños
- List of select Jewish football (association; soccer) players
