Israel Football Chief Vows Euro 2028 Berth Under Current Coach

Following a challenging international break, the Israeli national football team and its staff, led by Ran Ben Shimon, have returned home after playing four matches across three countries. The Chairman of the Football Association, Shino Zoaretz, and his deputy Oren Mairi also returned after 15 days with the team, describing the period as "an unusual journey" that included games from Yom Kippur until the present.

Zoaretz expressed disappointment with the team's performance, stating they deserved more than the two points earned. He acknowledged that results were disappointing, but recent games offered optimism for upcoming matches against Kosovo and Austria in November. He specifically lamented the lack of respect shown by the Irish team towards the Israeli anthem, an issue he formally raised with UEFA.

Despite the setbacks, Zoaretz reaffirmed his confidence in coach Ran Ben Shimon and his staff, expressing a strong belief that they will lead Israel to qualification for the Euro 2028 tournament. He stated that no single game or performance would change his mind, emphasizing the team's potential and the lessons learned from recent matches. Zoaretz believes securing second place in the current qualifying group is still an achievable goal, with qualification matches for Euro 2028 set to begin in early 2027.