Ophir Kriaf Says He Put Beitar First, and Explains His Views on Identity and Loyalty

Former midfielder Ophir Kriaf, who retired in March after a short stint at Ashdod, spoke on the Jerusalem football podcast of Sport 5 about his long connection to Beitar Jerusalem, the club with which he was most identified. He said he had wanted to end his career at the club where he grew up and spent most of his years, but that plan did not work out.

Kriaf said he repeatedly sacrificed salary for the club. According to him, he accepted pay cuts even when they were unnecessary so Beitar could survive another season in the Premier League, and he also said he suggested reducing his own pay so that staff members and soldiers working for the club would not have to leave. He added that he turned down several offers from rival clubs that were not close to his heart, and mentioned Hapoel Tel Aviv, saying, “Ask Kobi Refaelov.”

He also addressed the old slogan “Beitar forever pure,” calling it “the most populist and farthest thing from what happened.” Kriaf said the club was used politically at the time by Arkady Gaydamak, who wanted to become mayor of Jerusalem, and argued that most Beitar fans live outside the city. He said the club’s two Muslim signings, Sadaev and Kadayev, “suffered here every second,” and added that if Beitar still has never had a Muslim player, “there is probably a problem” bigger than him.

Asked about his closest friend in football, Kriaf named Miguel Silva. He praised Silva as a close friend, a great professional, a family man, a “rare” friend, and someone who loves Israel, calling him “an addict to the crowd.” Kriaf then said he has little faith in Israeli players and claimed that only Jerusalem-born players can truly be trusted. He said Jerusalem people are “real, warm, not fake like people from the center.”