Israel national handball team


The Israel national handball team is controlled by the Israel Handball Association, and represents Israel in international matches.

European Championship record

Best achievement

The team's biggest achievement was a performance in the European Handball Championship that was held in Sweden in 2002, where it didn't manage to go through the first group stage. In the qualifying playoff games the Israel beat the Republic of Macedonia
.
Israel's coach in the Championship was Shlomo Hoffman, and its leading players were Idan Maimon, Vladimir Zaikman, Leonid Durashenko, Dudi Balsar and Dovi Yeshua.
Ever since the historic participation at the 2002 championship, the team hasn't managed to pass the preliminary round of qualifications.

Previous Campaigns

World 2007 Qualifiers

In the winter of 2006 the team had failed to qualify to the 2007 world championship after finishing third at the qualifications – behind Austria and Finland.

Euro 2008 Qualifiers

In the winter of 2007 Israel again failed to qualify, this time to the 2008 European Championships. Despite an impressive home win 30:29 against the very strong team of Serbia, Israel lost twice to Macedonia, and finished again finished third, behind Serbia and Republic of Macedonia and ahead of Luxembourg.
DateOpponentH/AVenueSpectatorsResultH.TTop scorer
4 January 2007SerbiaAwayBelgrad2,000Lost – 37:2716:11Tom Matalon, Avishay Smoler
6 January 2007SerbiaHomeRaanana2,000Win – 30:2916:12Gal Avraham
10 January 2007MacedoniaHomeRaanana2,000Lost – 28:3015:19Idan Maimon
13 January 2007MacedoniaAwayScopia1,500Lost – 27:2612:10Gal Avraham, Avishay Smoler
17 January 2007LuxembourgAwayLuxembourg500Win – 25:2611:13Idan Maimon
21 January 2007LuxembourgHomeRaanana500Win – 35:2617:10Idan Maimon

World 2009 Qualifiers

In the following winter Israel met Serbian again, at the 2009 World Championships Qualifying. This time it lost both games to Serbia, and finished second after beating The Faroe Islands at both games.
DateOpponentH/AVenueSpectatorsResultH.TTop scorer
9 January 2008Faroe IslandsAwayTorshaven800Win – 21:268:15Avishay Smoler
12 January 2008Faroe IslandsHomeRaanana1,000Win – 31:2117:11Gal Avraham
16 January 2008SerbiaHomeRaanana1,600Lost – 31:3415:17Avishay Smoler
19 January 2008SerbiaAwayBelgrad2,000Lost – 44:3620:15Avishay Smoler, Chen Pomeranz

Euro 2010 Qualifiers

In the 2010 European Championships Qualifying, held in 2008 and 2009, Israel was drawn into group 5, together with the world champions, Germany, Slovenia, Belarus and Bulgaria.
Israel lost both games to Slovenia, Belarus and Germany, and only won both games against Bulgaria.
The team's captain was Idan Maimon, and its leading players were Avishay Smoler of German team TBV Lemgo, Chen Pomerantz, Tom Matalon, Gal Avraham and Goalkeeper Leonid Durashenko.
DateOpponentH/AVenueSpectatorsResultH.TTop scorer
29 October 2008SloveniaHomeRishon LeZion800Lost – 28:3616:21Avishay Smoler
2 November 2008BulgariaAwayBlagoevgrad400Won – 28:3415–20Avishay Smoler
26 November 2008BelarusAwayBerst3,700Lost – 38:3121:14Gal Avraham
29 November 2008BelarusHomeRishon LeZion1,000Lost – 28:3111:19Tom Matalon
18 March 2009BulgariaHomeKiryat Motzkin900Won – 29:2016:10Chen Pomernz, Avishay Smoler
22 March 2009GermanyAwayAshafenburg4,500Lost – 24:3615:17Gal Avraham
17 June 2009SloveniaAwayLjubljana3,000Lost – 27:4017:20Chen Pomeranz
21 June 2009GermanyHomeRishon LeZion1,000Lost – 40:2117:12Chen Pomeranz

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship – European Qualification.
Head coach: Oleg Boutenko

Former coaches