Sports · Full coverage
Former Maccabi Haifa Defender San Menachem Opens Up About Life After Career-Ending Head Injury
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
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First reported by Mako · Aug 7, 2026
What happened
San Menachem, former Maccabi Haifa defender, retired at 29 due to a serious brain injury. He shared his emotional journey accepting the diagnosis and adapting to life after football, emphasizing faith and resilience.
- 01San Menachem retired at 29 after doctors found brain hemorrhages from a head injury.
- 02He learned of the injury during an MRI scan following a football training session.
- 03Menachem has a newborn son and initially struggled emotionally with the forced retirement.
- 04He chose to view the retirement positively and reassured his wife it was for the best.
- 05Menachem experiences ongoing symptoms like noise sensitivity and memory loss.
- 06He is adapting to a new life path while appreciating his football career achievements.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
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