The Israel National Team is set to play Italy in a soccer game in Hungary on Monday to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, The Jerusalem Post reports. On Friday, the team has a game in Moldova. Coach Ran Ben Shimon talks about the anticipation, goals, and navigating security concerns while traveling with the team.
“We have big ambitions, to win both matches,” a confident Ben Shimon began. “There’s an away game in Moldova, a complex match we need to be well-prepared for. We also want to be competitive against Italy, to fight for second place as that’s one of our main goals.”
With the security situation being one that has not been simple to manage due to the rise of anti-Semitism throughout the world including Europe, Ben Shimon knows that Israeli athletes have not had an easy time across the board and also need to be prepared for any type of issue that may arise.
“There needs to be preparation for it. We’ll definitely face negativity. I always tell my players that I am a football coach but I also try to teach them how to cope with things beyond their control, because positive energy is more powerful than negativity.”
Italian media reports that the Italian Coaches’ Association has written a letter urging the FIFA and UEFA managing bodies to suspend Israel from playing. At the same time, there are even more security concerns for October 14, when Italy will be hosting Israel. Still, some Italian athletes have spoken up and said that the disqualification of other athletes for political reasons is not the right answer.
Anti-Semitism in Europe has more than tripled and Italy is no exception. As the rhetoric becomes more commonplace, The Fellowship doesn’t just aim to support Jews who are persecuted, but to provide education that will promote understanding, empathy, and, of course, fellowship.
