Ex-Maccabi Tel Aviv Defender Filipenko Regrets Spain Stint, Praises Israeli Salary

Former Maccabi Tel Aviv and MS Ashdod defender Igor Filipenko, who announced his retirement in May, reflected on his career in a recent interview with Russian media. Filipenko, a Belarusian international, stated he is currently enjoying retirement and doesn't miss football, despite being only 38. He explained that a lack of motivation, coupled with his daughter starting school, led to his decision to hang up his boots.

Filipenko discussed his move to Maccabi Tel Aviv from Spanish club Malaga, calling his decision to leave Spain "stupid." He felt he was not given a fair chance at Malaga, despite being a professional and having been named Belarus's best defender twice. He was surprised by the offer from Israel, especially given his contract situation in Spain, but was eager to leave Malaga due to frustration. He acknowledged that Jordi Cruyff, then Maccabi Tel Aviv's professional manager, negotiated his transfer.

Financially, Filipenko found his time in Israel lucrative, earning nearly double what he did in Spain. He was 28 at the time and sought to maximize his earnings before his career ended. He stated that his highest salaries were earned in Israel and Yekaterinburg, allowing him to acquire property. However, he also admitted to losing hundreds of thousands of dollars through failed investments, equating it to losing a year's salary from his Israeli contract. He now aims to be more cautious with his finances.

Filipenko also recalled a particularly painful match where his team led Zenit St. Petersburg 3-0, only to concede four goals in the final 15 minutes, describing it as a "complete disaster."