Eyal Berkovich Names Miki Berkovich Sportsman of the Year Amid Health Battle

Former Israeli football star Eyal Berkovich has named basketball legend Miki Berkovich as his sportsman of the year, following the latter's public disclosure of a serious illness. Eyal Berkovich expressed deep admiration for Miki, stating, "For me, he was the greatest athlete in Israel." He revealed he had met with Miki a few months prior and noticed he was unwell, saying, "I noticed and spoke with him, and I understood he has this cursed disease." Eyal emphasized the importance of appreciating and respecting Miki, adding, "We grew up on him, we adored him, and for me, he is the man of the year."

During the interview on 103FM, Eyal Berkovich reminisced about the golden era of Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball, a team Miki Berkovich starred for. He recalled childhood memories of watching the team with his father, describing the widespread adoration for players like Miki Berkovich, Lou Silver, Earl Williams, and Shuki Schwartz. "The entire State of Israel sat and adored them," he said.

Berkovich drew a parallel between his nostalgia for those unifying times and the current social climate in Israel, lamenting the division and polarization. "It's not like today, in the era of division and the era of the rift. I miss that Maccabi Tel Aviv that we all loved, I miss Miki, and Miki was the hero. Thank you to Miki Berkovich for all that he did for us," he concluded.