JERUSALEM, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli former football star Yossi Benayoun will be appointed the country's national team general manager, the Israel Football Association (IFA) said on Wednesday.
Benayoun, who played as a midfielder for clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, announced his retirement in 2019 at the age of 39.
He began his career in Israel at Hapoel Beer Sheva and Maccabi Haifa.
In 2002, he moved to Spain to play for Racing Santander, where he spent three years before transferring to English Premier League club West Ham United.
In 2007, he joined Liverpool, where he played for three years and scored 18 goals in 92 appearances. He then signed for Chelsea, but only made 14 appearances for the London club, scoring one goal.
In 2011 he was loaned to Arsenal, where he scored four goals in 19 matches.
After returning to West Ham and then playing for Queens Park Rangers, he came back to Israeli football in 2014 and played for four clubs before hanging up his boots.
Benayoun is also Israel's all-time record appearance maker, having played 102 times for the national team, scoring 24 goals.
After retiring, Benayoun served as a general manager at Israeli club Beitar Jerusalem during the 2019/20 season.
"Benayoun, one of the greatest Israeli footballers, is wonderful news for the national team", said IFA chairman Oren Hasson.
"He is well acquainted with the Israeli team and European football and I hope he will lead the team to the Euro and World Cup final tournaments".
Benayoun's first task will be to assist in the appointment of a new head coach for Israel, after Austria's Willi Ruttensteiner left the position in early February. ■
