The Soul of Israeli Soccer
The Fellowship | April 26, 2019
Avi Nimni
Born: April 26, 1972
Known for: One of Israel’s greatest soccer stars, Nimni had his number 8 retired by his longtime team
About him: Born in Holon, Israel, Nimni joined Maccabi Tel Aviv’s soccer training program at only seven years old. Throughout his childhood, he played for each of the team’s youth divisions, as well as for the Israeli national youth team.
Nimni played his first professional game at the age of 17 and joined Maccabi Tel Aviv full-time when he turned 18. In 1998, Nimni was named captain of the team.
Despite playing abroad in both Spain and England, Nimni was beloved in his homeland, as Maccabi Tel Aviv’s all-time leading goalscorer and the third highest scorer in Israeli history.