Israel National Football Team Faces Criticism Over Jordan Shua's Call-Up
The Israeli national football team is set to begin its Nations League campaign against Austria on Thursday, with a potential starting lineup featuring Sayed Abu Farchi, who has yet to debut for his new club, Colorado Rapids. Abu Farchi might start due to the late arrival of other MLS-based players, who are expected to join the team just one day before the match in Linz. The squad will travel to Austria on Sunday and observe Yom Kippur there.
Several players will miss the initial matches. Gabi Kaniikovsky is unavailable due to his brother's wedding, and Eitan Azulai will not participate in the first two games. Meanwhile, key players like Anan Khalaili (Crystal Palace), Manor Solomon (Tottenham Hotspur), Daniel Peretz (Southampton), Roy Revivo (Elche), Oscar Gloukh (Ajax), and Nikita Stoyanov (Romania) are reportedly in peak form. Dor Peretz, a star player, is also in excellent momentum, having scored seven goals in four matches.
The most surprising call-up by coach Shimon Ben Shimon was Jordan Shua. Shua has started only one game for his club, Beitar Jerusalem, this season and has played a total of just 37 minutes in their last two matches. This decision has drawn criticism from within the team, with some players questioning the selection. "It's strange to call up Shua in his current form, while Stav Turi'el or Niv Yehoshua are out," some players commented. "It feels a bit like social call-ups."
