Israeli Footballer's Shoe Incident 15 Years Later
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Fifteen years after a bizarre incident, Israeli footballer Yoav Ziv's red card for kicking his shoe at a linesman during a 2011 match against Stoke City is remembered. The event, which occurred during Maccabi Tel Aviv's 3-0 loss, went viral internationally, drawing humorous commentary from global media and Ziv's own manager. Ziv received a three-game UEFA ban, a one-match suspension from his club, and a $7,500 fine, making the memorable moment financially costly.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Yoav Ziv received a red card for kicking his shoe at a linesman during a 2011 match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Stoke City.
- The bizarre incident occurred 15 years ago and became a viral moment, drawing international media attention and humorous commentary.
- Ziv explained his actions as a result of frustration and anger, calling it an accident and bad luck.
- The incident led to a three-game UEFA ban, a one-match suspension, and a $7,500 fine for Ziv.
- Despite Maccabi Tel Aviv's 3-0 loss, the shoe incident remains an unforgettable moment in Israeli football history.
Fifteen years ago, on October 20, 2011, Yoav Ziv, a player for Maccabi Tel Aviv, provided one of Israeli football's most bizarre moments during a Europa League match against Stoke City. In the 55th minute of the game, after losing his shoe in a challenge with Ryan Shotton and not being awarded a foul, Ziv kicked his shoe in frustration. The shoe flew directly at Greek linesman Christos Akrivos, hitting him and resulting in Ziv being shown a straight red card by referee Anastasios Kakos. Stoke City had already been reduced to ten men earlier in the match.
The incident, which occurred in England, garnered significant international media attention. British newspapers like The Guardian and The Independent described the red card as potentially the "most ridiculous dismissal of the season" and a moment of "classic comedy." The story also reached the United States, with Bleacher Report dedicating an article to the incident, humorously noting Ziv's "pretty good kick" that "hit the target exactly." French and Belgian sports websites also covered the event, with one describing Ziv as having "completely lost his temper."
Stoke City's manager at the time, Tony Pulis, commented that while he didn't see the incident live, he found it "quite funny" on television afterward. He acknowledged that the referee had no choice but to send Ziv off, but described Ziv as a "great guy" and "a guy with respect" in their post-match conversation.
Ziv himself recognized the incident's viral potential immediately, stating, "The second the shoe flew, I understood this would be a big story." He explained his actions as a result of frustration and anger, admitting, "I kicked the shoe in anger, and in the end, what happened, happened." He later described it as "one of the funniest things that happened" and told The Guardian it was an accident and bad luck. He also acknowledged becoming an "unwilling YouTube star" due to the widespread sharing of the footage.
UEFA subsequently suspended Ziv for three additional European competition games. Maccabi Tel Aviv also suspended him for one match and later fined him $7,500 on November 10, 2011. These sanctions made the initially amusing moment a costly one for the player. While the match itself, a 3-0 loss for Maccabi Tel Aviv with goals from Kevin Jones, Cameron Jerome, and Ryan Shotton, has faded into history, Ziv's shoe incident remains an unforgettable moment in Israeli football's European history.
Mentioned
