Yaakov Buzaglo Claims He Was '10 Times Better' Than Footballer Eyal Berkovic

Former Israeli footballer Yaakov Buzaglo has publicly declared that he was "10 times better" than Eyal Berkovic, widely considered one of Israel's greatest footballers. Buzaglo, who is also known as the father and agent of the Buzaglo family featured in a reality TV series, made the assertion during an interview on Guy Peleg's "All In" podcast.

Buzaglo stated that he told Berkovic directly during an interview that he surpassed him in "ability and talent - courage, ball control." He conceded that Berkovic, nicknamed "The Magician," had a superior "game vision," which was the only parameter he admitted Berkovic excelled in.

While Berkovic enjoyed a successful international career in England and Scotland, Buzaglo's playing days in the 1970s and 80s with clubs like Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Lod were considerably more modest. Buzaglo acknowledged the disparity in achievements but attributed Berkovic's career success to having guidance, implying he lacked a similar mentor. "I don't argue about the career he had, a hundred times better than mine, because I didn't have Yaakov Buzaglo to guide me. That's the difference," he explained.

This latest controversial statement follows a recent announcement by Buzaglo that he would charge 15,000 shekels for a one-hour interview. He justified this by stating his experience and opinions are valuable, and if media outlets use him as a "punching bag" for his views, he expects financial compensation.