Beloved Bnei Yehuda star Pedro Galban faces financial hardship as fans raise money

Fans of Bnei Yehuda have launched a crowdfunding campaign for Pedro Galban, one of the most beloved foreign players in Israeli football, after news emerged that the 40-year-old former midfielder is in serious financial trouble. Galban now lives in Argentina with his wife and four daughters, and people close to him say he has run through the savings he accumulated during his years in Israel, including a period when he was prevented from training and later was deported.

According to the report, Galban is struggling with Argentina’s difficult economic situation after retiring from professional football and is trying to begin a second career, while also supporting his family. Bnei Yehuda supporters said he was more than the club’s greatest foreign player, describing him as part of the team’s identity and as someone who gave the fans unforgettable moments. Their appeal said he is “a true Israel lover” who represented the club and its supporters with great dignity and that “he needs real help” now.

The club and its fans are said to be in regular contact with Galban and aware of his situation. The fundraising effort is intended to help him and his family after years in which he was embraced by the club’s community.

Galban played in Israel from 2008 to 2020, mainly for Bnei Yehuda, and also had spells with Maccabi Petah Tikva and Hapoel Tel Aviv. He won the State Cup with Bnei Yehuda in 2017. In 2018, he was forced to leave Israel after a legal battle and the expiration of his residence visa. In a March interview, he said he was working as an assistant coach at a small club in Argentina’s second division, Club Ciudad de Bolívar, and added, “I’m not sure if I can return to the country.”