Israeli Soccer Star Honors Slain Friend Lior Assulin on His Birthday
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Israeli soccer player Omer Atzili posted a tribute on Instagram from the grave of his friend, former player Lior Assulin, on what would have been Assulin's 46th birthday. Assulin was murdered on October 7 and would have been 43 at the time. Atzili, who played with Assulin early in his career, described him as a "big brother" and a "winner." The post comes ahead of the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Omer Atzili honored his murdered friend Lior Assulin with an Instagram post from his grave.
- Atzili posted on what would have been Assulin's 46th birthday, ahead of the third anniversary of October 7.
- Lior Assulin was killed on October 7 at the Nova music festival.
- Atzili described Assulin as "much more than a friend, he was like a big brother to me."
- Assulin was a prominent striker who played for multiple Israeli soccer clubs.
Omer Atzili, a star player for Beitar Jerusalem, posted a picture on his Instagram account on Tuesday from the grave of former player Lior Assulin, who was murdered at the Nova music festival on October 7. Atzili captioned the photo, "3 years 💔 and 46th birthday 💛." The post comes a day before the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, in which Assulin was killed just one day after celebrating his 43rd birthday. Atzili and Assulin shared a deep personal connection, having played together at Hapoel Rishon LeZion early in Atzili's senior career, when Assulin was already an established veteran. Atzili previously described Assulin as "much more than a friend, he was like a big brother to me." He recalled Assulin's constant smile, laughter, and immense heart, and as a player, a "winner, a striker always in the right place, but off the field, he was all heart." Atzili expressed his ongoing longing, stating, "I miss you, brother, you accompany me every step of life, I will continue to commemorate you everywhere." Following Assulin's murder, Atzili was among those who mourned him deeply, writing, "My friend, my brother, huge heart, great soul," and "You broke our hearts. My brother, my blood. I miss you." Assulin was a prominent striker in Israeli football for many years, playing for clubs including Maccabi Herzliya, Bnei Sakhnin, Beitar Jerusalem, Bnei Yehuda, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Hapoel Be'er Sheva. On what would have been his 46th birthday, and shortly before the third anniversary of October 7, Atzili chose again to remember the man he considered "like a big brother."
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