Maccabi Tel Aviv Legend Recounts Murder Threats During Match

A historical and disturbing account has resurfaced, shedding light on a dark chapter in Israeli football history. Nissim Becher, a legendary former player and coach for Maccabi Tel Aviv, revealed in an interview with "Sport 1" difficult testimonies concerning murder threats, the involvement of criminal elements from La Familia and the underworld, and the deep fear that gripped the team's players during a crucial match at Bloomfield Stadium.

According to Becher's testimony, leading up to a sensitive game against Hapoel Petah Tikva, threatening phone calls began to reach club officials and players, particularly targeting team manager Jerry Beit Halevy. The tense atmosphere escalated when a key player received direct death threats and, in tears and paralyzed by fear, told the staff, "I don't want to play."

The drama intensified during the game itself, as known underworld figures, including Yossi Mizrahi, walked around the pitch, directing direct threats at officials and players. Becher recalled that after the team scored to take a 1-0 lead, the players were so terrified of the repercussions that they completely refrained from celebrating or hugging, fearing they would anger the criminal elements.

Becher's dramatic testimony offers a rare and unsettling glimpse into the unbearable pressures that shaped local football in the past. The shocking story demonstrates that behind the scenes of sports and historic titles, players and coaches sometimes had to take the field under genuine threats to their lives and the safety of their families.