Israel National Football Team Faces Defensive Shortage Ahead of Nations League

The Israeli national football team is grappling with a significant shortage of available central defenders for their upcoming Nations League matches. Coach Ran Ben Shimon's staff reached out to Hapoel Be'er Sheva captain Miguel Vítor to gauge his availability, but bureaucratic issues in Portugal make his participation unlikely. The team is already missing key defenders Or Bilorian, Itay Rotman, and Stav Levin, with Levin's recovery being prioritized for the final two games against Ireland. Levin has requested to continue his treatments in hopes of being ready for those matches.

In response to the defensive crisis, the team is also considering calling up either Doron Leidner or Noam Ben Harush as backup for Roy Revivo, following an injury to Jordan Cohen. Meanwhile, Liel Abada, who recently sustained a leg injury playing for Charlotte, has informed the national team's medical staff that it is a minor issue and he will be fit to play. Abada is expected to rejoin the national squad.

Assistant coach Gal Cohen and Ben Shimon recently visited the United States, where they gained further insight into the American league, its excellent facilities, and the strong support for Israeli players competing there.