Sportsפרי נויפלד

Peri Neufeld

Peri Neufeld was a Hungarian-born footballer who played as a forward for Maccabi Tel Aviv and for the Mandatory Palestine national team.

1913 to 1982Forward for Maccabi Tel AvivFirst foreign player in Israeli football1938 World Cup qualifiers against Greece

Born: 1 July 1913, Hungary
Died: 17 January 1982
Occupation: association football player

Peri Neufeld was born in 1913 in Hungary

Franz "Peri" Neufeld was born on 1 July 1913 in Hungary, to a Christian family. He was also known as Kfir Neufeld. He played for his country's youth team and for the local club Újpest.

In 1933 he signed a 3-year contract with a club in Cairo and moved to Egypt. In 1934 he signed with a Lebanese club, but his ship stopped in Jaffa for repairs. He visited the Maccabi Tel Aviv players and decided to stay with the club.

He later converted to Judaism, married an Israeli woman and settled in the country. He was seen as the first foreign player in Israeli football. With Maccabi Tel Aviv he won 3 league titles and 1 cup, and in 1938 he played 2 World Cup qualifiers for Mandatory Palestine against Greece, scoring 1 goal.

He played for Maccabi Tel Aviv until 1945 and then for Hakoah Tel Aviv. He retired around the War of Independence and worked at a gas station on Dizengoff Street, then part time at the Sports Betting Board. He died on 17 January 1982.