 Zahavi celebrating a goal forMaccabi Tel Aviv in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1987-07-25)25 July 1987 (age 37)[1][2] | ||
| Place of birth | Rishon LeZion, Israel[3] | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[4] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker,advanced playmaker[5] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Maccabi Tel Aviv | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–2003 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | ||
| 2003–2005 | Ironi Rishon LeZion | ||
| 2005–2006 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2011 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | 94 | (27) |
| 2007–2008 | →Ironi Ramat HaSharon (loan) | 45 | (9) |
| 2011–2013 | Palermo | 23 | (2) |
| 2013–2016 | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 119 | (98) |
| 2016–2020 | Guangzhou R&F | 106 | (91) |
| 2020–2022 | PSV Eindhoven | 50 | (22) |
| 2022– | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 67 | (40) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2008 | Israel U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2010– | Israel | 74 | (35) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 March 2024 | |||
Eran Zahavi (also spelled Zehavi,[6]Hebrew:ערן זהבי,/ɛˈrɑːnzəˈhɑːvɪ/err-AHN zə-HAH-vi; born 25 July 1987) is an Israeli professionalfootballer who plays as aforward for andvice-captains bothIsraeli Premier League clubMaccabi Tel Aviv and theIsrael national team.
Zahavi was namedIsraeli Footballer of the Year twice (2013–14 and 2014–15), and finished as the top goalscorer of the Israeli Premier League for three consecutive seasons, in2013–14 (29 goals),2014–15 (27 goals) and2015–16 (35 goals, all-time league record). In December 2014, Zahavi broke the Israeli Premier League record for scoring in consecutive appearances after he scored for the 18th game in a row. In 2016, he broke the Israeli league six-decade-old season scoring record, beating the 1954–55 record.[7] He was named the 2017Chinese Super LeagueMVP, and broke the league's single-season scoring record in 2019.
Zahavi made his debut for the Israel national team in 2010. He is a former national team captain and the current all-time top scorer for Israel with 35 goals.
Zahavi started his youth career withHapoel Tel Aviv at the age of 6.[8] At the age of 16 he went toIroni Rishon LeZion, in his hometown. Two years later, in 2005, he returned to Hapoel.
A Hapoel Tel Aviv youth product, Zahavi was promoted to its senior team in 2006. With Hapoel, he won the2009–10 Israel State Cup and the2009–10 Israeli Premier League title after a dramatic match against the fierce rivalsBeitar Jerusalem in the last round of the season, in which he scored the winning goal in the 92nd minute.[9] Zahavi was reported to have garnered interest from clubs in Belgium during the 2009–10 season.[10]
In the 2010–11 season Zahavi became the top assist provider of theIsraeli Premier League, providing 13 assists during the season.[11]
Zahavi signed a five-year deal with the ItalianSerie A club,Palermo, before the beginning of the2011–12 Serie A season.[12] He capped two seasons with 23 appearances in the top league in Italy, scoring two goals againstBologna andCagliari.[13]
In December 2012, towards the winter transfers window opening, Zahavi showed signs of returning to Israel.[14] Following an agreement made by Palermo andMaccabi Tel Aviv, his former club Hapoel Tel Aviv was given seven days to make a bid on him due to a first-option clause in his contract,[15] but it was not exploited. On 21 January 2013, after over a month of speculation in the media, Maccabi Tel Aviv announced his arrival, signing him on a three-and-a-half-year contract[16] for €250,000.[17]
At theTel Aviv derby on 3 November 2014, Zahavi scored a penalty to equalise the score at 1–1 in the first half but was then attacked by a pitch invader. On retaliating, he was sent off, prompting more pitch invasions which led to the match being abandoned.[18]
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In the beginning of the2015–16 season, Zahavi was appointed as Maccabi Tel Aviv's newcaptain after former captainSheran Yeini signed with Dutch clubVitesse. On 5 August 2015, Zahavi scored two goals against Czech teamViktoria Plzeň in a 2–0 away victory in the second leg of the third qualifying round after Maccabi lost at home 2–1. On 19 August 2015, Zahavi scored a brace, including a 96th-minute equaliser, in a 2–2 draw against Swiss sideBasel atSt. Jakob-Park in the first leg of theChampions League playoffs.[20] On 25 August, during the second leg atBloomfield, he scored a 24th-minute equaliser as the match ended 1–1, a result that sent Maccabi to the Champions League group stage due to theaway goals rule.[21] Zahavi finished the Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round as the top goalscorer with 7 goals in 5 games.[22] During the season Zahavi scored 35 league goals, in 36 league games, and set a new Israeli record for league goals in single season. The previous record was set by the striker Nissim Elmaliach, who scored 30 goals in 26 league games during the 1954–55 season.[23]
On 29 June 2016, Zahavi joinedGuangzhou R&F of theChinese Super League, making him the second Israeli footballer in China afterLiron Zarko.[24] The transfer deal paid Zahavi a reported $12.5 million over two-and-a-half years.[25]On 2 July, Zahavi made his debut coming on from the bench at the 60th minute playing againstShijiazhuang Ever Bright with the score a 1–1 draw. 15 minutes later he scored his first goal, and later on he added an assist to lead his team to a 4–2 victory.[26]
On 13 July, Zahavi scored ahat-trick in 19 minutes in theChinese FA Cup match againstHebei China Fortune, coming on from the bench in the second half and helping R&F to a 3–0 win.[27] On 18 October, during a league match againstHangzhou Greentown, Zahavi netted his second hat-trick in an R&F jersey, propelling them to a 5–2 victory. He found the net in the 33rd, 55th, and 67th minutes of the match. Those goals gave him 16 goals in as many games for R&F, across all competitions. These scoring exploits quickly earned him the nickname "the King of Yuexiushan".[28]
Zahavi finished his first half season for Guangzhou R&F with six goals in fourChinese FA Cup games, and 11 league goals in 15 appearances. In December 2016, according to media reports, Chinese clubShandong Luneng Taishan F.C. offered$20 million for Zahavi, the highest transfer fee ever offered for an Israeli footballer.[29] On 24 January 2017, Zahavi signed a renewed contract with Guangzhou R&F until the end of the 2020 season, for an estimated $7 million per season.[30] On 23 July, in the league match againstYanbian Funde, he scored four goals for Guangzhou in a 6–2 victory. Zahavi finished the 2017 season with 27 league goals (one short of the league record) to win the CSL Golden Boot Award.[31][32] He was also named the Most Valuable Player in the Chinese Super League, and selected in the CSL team of the year.[33][34]
AfterShanghai Greenland Shenhua failed to sign Zahavi in September 2017 for a transfer fee of $25 million,[35] Zahavi renewed his contract with Guangzhou R&F in February 2018 for an estimated $10 million per season on a three-year contract.[36][37] On 2 March, during round 1 of the2018 CSL season, Zahavi scored a hat-trick and assisted one goal in the 5–4 away win against reigning championsGuangzhou Evergrande Taobao.[38]
In November 2019, Zahavi broke the CSL single-season scoring record after scoring his 29th goal of the season, surpassing the previous record set byElkeson in 2014.[39]
On 20 September 2020, Zahavi signed a two-year deal withEredivisie sidePSV Eindhoven.[40] He made his debut for the Dutch side on 1 October 2020 inUEFA Europa League play-offs against Norwegian sideRosenborg, contributing to the 2–0 away win with a goal and an assist.[41][42]
On 21 July 2021, Zahavi scored a hat-trick and made an assist in a 5–1 win againstGalatasaray, in the first leg of theUEFA Champions League second qualifying round match.[43][44]
In March 2022, Zahavi was named by theUEFA Europa Conference League as its Player of the Week, thanks to his two-goal display against Danish sideCopenhagen in theround of 16 second leg, earning his side a 4–0 away win.[45] In the same month, he was also named as Eredivisie Player of the Month after scoring in each of the three games he played in March.[46] Zahavi scored his eighth European goal of the season in theConference League quarter-finals againstLeicester City, and thus equalised the PSV record shared byWilly van der Kuijlen andGerrie Deijkers, who both scored eight European goals for the club in the 1970s.[47]
Zahavi left the club after the 2021–22 season after his contract was not renewed.[48]
In June 2022, Zahavi returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv on a two-year contract, having previously played for the Israeli Premier League side between 2013 and 2016.[3][49] He was also named captain of the club.[50][51]
In December 2023, UEFA named Zahavi as the UEFA Europa Conference League Player of the Week after scoring a brace against Belgian sideGent in thegroup stage, securing Maccabi Tel Aviv a 3–1 victory.[52]
Zahavi made his senior debut forIsrael on 2 September 2010 againstMalta inUEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers. He scored his first goal for the national team on 10 September 2013 againstRussia in the2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[53]
On 24 March 2019, he scored ahat-trick againstAustria in a 4–2 home win, during theUEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers.[54] On 7 June 2019, Zahavi scored a back-to-back hat-trick againstLatvia in a 3–0 away win, during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers.[55] He scored a total of eleven goals during the qualifying campaign, and was thus thesecond best overall goalscorer (along withCristiano Ronaldo) across all qualifying groups, and only a goal behindHarry Kane.[56]
On 14 October 2020, during a2020–21 UEFA Nations League B match againstSlovakia, Zahavi scored three goals in the span of 20 minutes to bring Israel from 0–2 behind to a 3–2 win.[57] With five goals, he was thesecond best goalscorer across all divisions of the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League (along withLeague A'sRomelu Lukaku), and only a goal behind League B'sErling Haaland.[58]
On 1 September 2021, Zahavi scored his fourth international hat-trick in an away match of the2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, earning Israel a 4–0 win againstFaroe Islands.[59] Three days later, he scored two goals in the World Cup qualifying match against Austria, that ended in a 5–2 home win for Israel.[60] Even though he missed the last two matches due to injury, Zahavi managed to score a total of eight goals during the qualifiers, and was thus one of thetop goalscorers across all qualifying rounds.[61]
On 15 September 2022, it was announced that Zahavi went on hiatus from the Israel national team due to hotel room dispute prior to an international duty break.[62] However, in November 2023, he returned to the team for the remainder of theUEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches.
Zahavi was born and raised inRishon LeZion, Israel, to Israeli-Jewish parents.[63][64][65][66] His father Ilan immigrated from France to Israel as a teenager, whereas his mother Eti is Israeli-born.[63] He has an elder brother, Avi.[63]
Zahavi has served in theIsrael Defense Forces (IDF), to complete hismandatory military service.[67] He also obtained a French passport, on account of his French-born father, in order to facilitate the transfer to certain European leagues.[63] Zahavi is observant and does not play football on theJewish High Holiday ofYom Kippur.[68]
On 9 May 2021, ahead of theEredivisie match between his clubPSV Eindhoven andWillem II, two armed robbers broke into Zahavi's house inAmsterdam, tying up his wife Shay (née Levy) and three children.[69] On 12 December 2021, their house was broken into again, this time when Zahavi was on health resort abroad with his family.[70][71]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hapoel Tel Aviv | 2006–07 | Israeli Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 6[c] | 1 | — | 42 | 12 | |||
| 2009–10 | 33 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 11[d] | 0 | — | 55 | 13 | |||
| 2010–11 | 33 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12[e] | 5 | — | 50 | 17 | |||
| Total | 94 | 27 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 6 | 29 | 6 | — | 149 | 42 | |||
| Ironi Ramat HaSharon (loan) | 2006–07 | Liga Leumit | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 2 | |||
| 2007–08 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 32 | 10 | ||||
| Total | 45 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 50 | 12 | ||||
| Palermo | 2011–12 | Serie A | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 22 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 26 | 2 | ||||
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | 2012–13 | Israeli Premier League | 16 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 8 | ||
| 2013–14 | 34 | 29 | 1 | 1 | — | 11[f] | 5 | — | 46 | 35 | ||||
| 2014–15 | 33 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 6[g] | 2 | — | 48 | 35 | |||
| 2015–16 | 36 | 35 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11[e] | 8 | 1[h] | 2 | 56 | 49 | ||
| Total | 119 | 98 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 28 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 168 | 127 | ||
| Guangzhou R&F | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 15 | 11 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | 19 | 17 | |||
| 2017 | 30 | 27 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | 34 | 31 | |||||
| 2018 | 26 | 20 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | 29 | 22 | |||||
| 2019 | 28 | 29 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 29 | |||||
| 2020 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | |||||
| Total | 106 | 91 | 11 | 12 | — | — | — | 117 | 103 | |||||
| PSV Eindhoven | 2020–21 | Eredivisie | 25 | 11 | 2 | 0 | — | 6[d] | 6 | — | 33 | 17 | ||
| 2021–22 | 25 | 11 | 4 | 1 | — | 16[i] | 8 | 1[j] | 0 | 46 | 20 | |||
| Total | 50 | 22 | 6 | 1 | — | 22 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 79 | 37 | |||
| Maccabi Tel Aviv | 2022–23 | Israeli Premier League | 32 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4[k] | 2 | — | 41 | 26 | |
| 2023–24 | 35 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14[k] | 13 | — | 55 | 39 | |||
| Total | 67 | 40 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 15 | — | 96 | 65 | |||
| Career total | 504 | 289 | 52 | 34 | 28 | 13 | 99 | 50 | 2 | 2 | 685 | 388 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Israel | 2010 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 11 | |
| 2020 | 7 | 5 | |
| 2021 | 11 | 9 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 74 | 35 | |
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv
PSV Eindhoven
Individual
The Rishon Lezion native led...
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
