First Israeli Premier League player at a World Cup since 2014
Christian Martinez of Ironi Kiryat Shmona made history early Thursday by becoming the first player from the Israeli Premier League to appear in a World Cup match since 2014. The Panama midfielder started against Ghana in the 2026 World Cup, after four league players had been sent to the tournament in North America, though none had featured before Panama's game.
Martinez played 67 minutes, was active in several Panama attacks, and came closest to scoring in the 60th minute when a loose ball fell to him in a clear chance for an opener. He failed to convert, and seven minutes later he was substituted. Ghana then scored in the 95th minute to hand Panama a painful stoppage-time loss.
The last Premier League player to appear at a World Cup before Martinez was John Ishanova, a Nigeria defender who was then with M.S. Ashdod in 2014. The article also recalled the league's most famous World Cup moment, when Ghana's John Pantsil, then playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv, waved an Israeli flag after Ghana's 2-0 win over the Czech Republic at the 2006 World Cup.
Pantsil later said of that gesture, "Would I do it again? I would."
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