Maccabi Haifa Stars Attend Memorial Football Tournament

A memorial football tournament was held on Thursday in Yocneam Illit, honoring Itai Glisko, a fallen soldier who died on October 7th. Glisko, a Golani Brigade fighter from the "Night Predators" unit, was a longtime season ticket holder for Maccabi Haifa. His family continues his legacy, and the local football field is named in his memory.

Maccabi Haifa coach Barak Bakhar and defender Elad Amir presented trophies at the ceremony. The event also saw the participation of team manager Guy Melamed, former club legend Rafi Osmo, and several former Maccabi Haifa players, including Moshe Selekter, Tzabar Daniel, and Shai Dahan. Maccabi Netanya midfielder Maor Levy, a Yocneam resident, also attended.

Veterans from Maccabi Haifa played in the tournament, with some of the proceeds supporting the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion and the Yocneam Illit municipality, who helped organize the event. Itai Glisko was himself a youth player for Hapoel Yocneam, a team now named in his honor.

Itai's father, Oren Glisko, stated that the tournament is "much more than a football game" and that seeing children, friends, and families fill the field makes him feel Itai's presence. He expressed gratitude to Maccabi Haifa for their continued support, noting that the club's active and former players make the tournament an event Itai would be proud of.