Liel Abada Reflects on Celtic Stint, MLS, and Premier League Dreams
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Israeli footballer Liel Abada discussed his difficult departure from Celtic due to pro-Palestinian protests and defended the quality of Major League Soccer. Abada, currently with Charlotte FC, expressed his enduring dream of playing in the Premier League, particularly for Liverpool. He is focused on the Israeli national team ahead of upcoming matches, acknowledging challenges in translating club success to national team performance.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Liel Abada felt terrible playing at Celtic due to pro-Palestinian protests and could not continue with the club.
- Abada defended Major League Soccer's quality, stating "only those who are there know what's really going on."
- The Israeli winger's lifelong dream is to play in the Premier League, with Liverpool as his specific aspiration.
- Abada's contract with Charlotte FC expires in December, but his immediate focus is on the Israeli national team.
- He acknowledged challenges in replicating club success with the national team, partly due to playing out of position.
Israeli winger Liel Abada has opened up about his challenging period at Celtic, citing pro-Palestinian protests in Scotland as a reason he "felt terrible playing like that" and could not continue with the club. Abada, who is currently playing for Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer (MLS), stated that while the situation in Scotland was difficult, he maintained perspective given the trauma Israel was experiencing. He expressed that despite the negative atmosphere, his time at Celtic was a significant chapter in his career, and he chooses to focus on the positive aspects.
In an interview with Sport 5, the 25-year-old player, who has scored 11 goals and provided 7 assists for Charlotte, defended the MLS against perceived disrespect in Israel. He emphasized the league's high quality, significant investment in facilities and players, and its continuous improvement year after year, asserting that "only those who are there know what's really going on."
Abada reiterated his long-held dream of playing in the Premier League, specifically mentioning Liverpool as his aspiration, and expressed hope for an opportunity to return to Europe to pursue this goal. His contract with Charlotte is set to expire in December, but he stated his current focus is on representing the Israeli national team in upcoming matches against Kosovo.
Reflecting on his national team performance, Abada acknowledged that his goal and assist numbers from club play haven't translated to the national team, attributing this partly to often playing out of his natural position. He affirmed his commitment to giving 100% for the national team regardless of the role assigned by coach Ran Ben Shimon, who he believes has strong faith in the players and the team's process.
Abada also touched upon his financial security at 25, expressing gratitude for being able to support his family, which he considers the most important aspect. Looking ahead, he believes the national team has a strong squad and coaching staff, and they are learning from past mistakes to improve their performance in future tournaments.
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