World cup soccer

Star-Spangled exodus: How MLS became a Mecca for Israeli soccer stars

The era of the “Yored” is dead; the era of the “Ambassador” has arrived. And this season is the final proof that Israeli soccer has found itself a new home.

|ByITAY GODER
TAI BARIBO finds the net for D.C. United, emblematic of a new wave of Israeli soccer stars thriving on American soil.
AT JUST 16, Or Divan has skipped the natural order of Israeli soccer. From scoring over 100 goals in a season to her time in the World Cup qualifiers, the striker is proving that greatness doesn’t wait for age.

Desert diamond: Or Divan and the new dawn of Israeli women’s soccer

Divan is a rare talent in the local landscape, her superb aerial game making her a constant threat on high balls, completing the profile of a truly modern and well-rounded player.

|ByITAY GODER
US President Donald Trump takes a question as he speaks during a press conference at Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, Florida, March 9, 2026.

Iranian military has been 'decimated,' Trump says, urging world to continue using Strait of Hormuz

Additionally, Trump said he believes Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive "in some form," during an interview with FOX's Brian Kilmeade scheduled to air on Friday.

|ByTZVI JASPER
A man drives a motorcycle past a giant poster in support of Iran's football team

Iran World Cup withdrawal threat leaves FIFA pondering options

Only a few hours before the withdrawal statement, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino trumpeted an assurance from Trump that Iran was "welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States." 

|ByREUTERS

Israel's FIFA U20 World Cup success is a miracle for unity - comment

For a moment – just a moment – Israel's U20 World Cup success gave everyone in this divided land something to cheer about. Finally, consensus over something.

JUNE 7, 2023ByHERB KEINON
ANAN KHALAILI (left) is the latest sporting hero for Israel. The 18-year-old Sakhnin native scored a dramatic stoppage-time goal to send the blue-and-white to a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan in the last-16 of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina

Israel Under-20 to face off against Uruguay in the semifinals

With Uruguay's victory against the United States on Sunday night, they will be facing off against the Jewish state in a soccer match later this week.

JUNE 5, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
FIFA U20 World Cup Argentina 2023 - Quarter Final - Israel v Brazil - Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina - June 3, 2023 Israel's Ilay Feingold celebrates after the match

Israel continues historic run at FIFA Under-20, advances to semi-finals

The team dedicated the historic victory to the IDF soldiers murdered in the terrorist attack along the Egyptian border earlier.

JUNE 3, 2023ByJOSH HALICKMAN
FIFA U20 World Cup Argentina 2023 - Quarter Final - Israel v Brazil - Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina - June 3, 2023 Israel's Anan Khalaili celebrates scoring their first goal

Israel reaches FIFA Under 20 World Cup quarterfinals with 0:1 victory

Israel successfully claimed victory just minutes before the end of the match, scoring a goal at the 97th-minute mark.

MAY 31, 2023ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
ANAN KHALAILI (left) is the latest sporting hero for Israel. The 18-year-old Sakhnin native scored a dramatic stoppage-time goal to send the blue-and-white to a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan in the last-16 of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Argentina

FIFA Under-20 World Cup: Israel beats Japan 2-1 in historic match

Israel will face off against Uzbekistan in the round of 16 on Tuesday night.

MAY 28, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
May 24, 2023 Israel players pose for a team group photo before the match

Palestinian flag causes tension at Israel’s first U-20 World Cup game

On Sunday, Israel lost 2-1 in the first match of the first round of the U-20 World Cup, which features the world’s best soccer talent under 20 years old.

MAY 23, 2023ByJUAN MELAMED/JTA
A demonstrator holding an umbrella with colors of Palestinian flag stands by an Israeli flag during a protest.

Israel's young soccer stars fall to Colombia at U20s World Cup

Despite valiant effort and even taking 1-0 second-half lead, Israel surrenders two late tallies in defeat • Senegal on tap

MAY 22, 2023ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
COLOMBIA'S OSCAR CORTES scores his side’s first goal past Israel ’keeper Tomer Zarfati from the penalty spot in the 74th minute of the blue-and-white’s 2-1 loss to the South American side at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina

U20 National Team kicks off World Cup

After tournament moved to Argentina, blue-and-white grouped with Japan, Colombia and Senegal

MAY 18, 2023ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MEMBERS OF the Israel Under-20 National Team take part in an event with the Buenos Aires Jewish community this week prior to the start of the FIFA U20 World Cup.

A corny gesture: Argentina farmer grows cornfield shaped like Lionel Messi's face

An agricultural engineer's algorithm calculated exactly where the seeds should be sown. The result: half a million square meters of Lionel Messi.

APRIL 18, 2023ByWALLA! TOURISM
The face of Argentine football star Lionel Messi is depicted in a corn field sown with a special algorithm to plant seeds in a certain pattern to create a huge visual image when the corn plants grow, in Los Condores, on the outskirts of Cordoba, Argentina January 15, 2023.

After refusal to host Israel, Indonesia stripped of under-20 soccer World Cup

Indonesia's football federation said it had canceled the draw after the governor of the island of Bali refused to host Israel's team.

MARCH 29, 2023ByREUTERS
People carry placards during a protest against Israel outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 21, 2021.