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Eli Leventhal

Eli Leventhal is an Israeli former footballer who played midfield for Hapoel Haifa and the Israel national team, including at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

born 1953Midfielder for Hapoel HaifaIsrael at the 1976 OlympicsThe 1974 State Cup

Born: 18 March 1953, Haifa
Occupation: association football player

Eli Leventhal was born in 1953 in Haifa

Elimeleh Leventhal was born in Haifa on 18 March 1953. He grew up in the Kiryat Eliezer neighborhood and started in the Hapoel Haifa youth team.

At 17 he joined the Hapoel Haifa senior team. He won the State Cup with the club in 1974 under coach Yaakov Grundman. In a 1975 derby against Maccabi Haifa he scored, and the anger of Maccabi fans led to heavy security at his wedding a week later.

In 1978 his goal against Maccabi Tel Aviv kept Hapoel Haifa in the league. He later played for Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Shefa-Amr and Beitar Haifa before retiring.

He made 25 appearances for Israel and scored 1 goal, in a 1975 friendly against the United States. He played at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and his last cap came in Seoul against South Korea in qualifying for the 1978 World Cup.

After retiring he coached the Hapoel Haifa youth team and Hapoel Daliyat al-Karmel, leaving the latter in 1992. He has worked as an Egged bus driver since the early 1970s, writes a weekly sports column for Yediot HaMifratz, and comments on sports for Radio Haifa.