Nir Davidovich

Early life

Records

• Nickname: "The Octopus"
• Birth Date: 17 December 1976.
• Played for: Maccabi Haifa, Israel
• First Appearance:
• * Domestic - 4 November 1995 versus Beitar Jerusalem.
• * International - 18 February 1998 versus Turkey.
• Number of appearances at:
• * Israel national team - 51.
• * European competitions - 55.
• * Domestic league - 368.
• * Domestic cup - 39.
• Height: 185 cm.
• Weight: 85 kg.
• Status: married to Avital, with three children.
• Honours: 7 championships, 2 Israeli cups, 3 Toto Cups, 1 MVP of the season.

  Football career

• Played in each age-class youth national team of Israel.
• 1995: Promoted to senior team of Maccabi Haifa.
• 1996: Gave outstanding performance when Maccabi Haifa kept a 0–0 against Hapoel Petah Tikva after 3 "greens" were sent off.
• 1997: Overcame veteran goalkeeper Bonni Ginzburg to become MHFC senior goalkeeper.
• 1998: First international appearance at Israel 4-0 victory over Turkey.
• 1998: Wins the Israeli cup after 2-0 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem.
• 1998: Excels in 1-1 draw against French top football club Paris Saint-Germain.
• 1999: Injured seriously in the crotch and missed the entire season.
• 2000–2001: Won the championship with Maccabi Haifa, conceding only 28 goals.
• 2001: Injured in his knee in the match versus Spain, where he kept the Israeli goal clean until he was replaced in half-time.
• 2002: Missed most of the season because of his knee injury.
• 2003: Recovered from knee injury and played the final matches in the league.
• 2003: Excelled in MHFC 0:0 draw against Valencia. After his performance he received grades of 10 in the Israeli press and was dubbed "The Octopus" by the Spanish press.
• 2003–2004: Won the championship with Maccabi Haifa and chosen by player, press and coaches as the MVP of the season.
• 2004: saves a penalty kick as Israel beat Cyprus 2–1 in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
• 2009: On 19 April Davidovich made his 300th league appearance in Maccabi Haifa.
• 2009: First time in the UEFA Champions League with Maccabi Haifa.
• 2010: Davidovich and Maccabi Haifa conceded only 16 goals in 35 league games, breaking the national record of lowest average goals per games.
• 2013: Nir Davidovich retired from football as a player. Throughout his career he played in Maccabi Haifa F.C., 18 years of the Club Concierge.

  Career statistics

Honours

Club

• 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11

• 1995, 1998

• 2002-03, 2005–06, 2007–08

  Individual

• Footballer of the Year in Israel : 2004