Yossi Benayoun, born on May 5, 1980 in Dimona, Israel, is a footballer who plays as the midfielder in the team. Nicknamed “The Kid” and “The Diamond”, Yossi Benayoun lives with his family in his homeland, Israel.
Yossi Benayoun started his international career with the Israel Under-16 team, and his team finished third in the 1996 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) European Under-16 Championship. He moved to the senior team making his debut against Portugal in November 1998. He became a crucial member of the Israeli national team at the 2006 World Cup qualifiers after their 2-1 victory over Cyprus at home and scoring twice against Switzerland. He was made as the captain of Israel national team before the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers. His two goals in eight appearances in the qualifiers gave a clear picture of the player’s dedication and motivation towards the Israel national team. He also played in the team’s line against the Croatia in the 2008 UEFA Euro qualifier.
Yossi Benayoun started playing football at an early age of 9, at Hapoel Be'er Sheva, an Israeli football club. Following his success in the home team, 15 year old Yossi Benayoun was picked by the Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Ajax). After he became the top scorer in the youth squad, the club offered him a four year contract, which he declined. At the age of 17, Yossi Benayoun moved on to the senior team of Hapoel Be’er Sheva. His season with Hapoel Be’er Sheva came to an end with his move to Maccabi Haifa.
During 2000-01, he also got the opportunity to lead Maccabi Haifa to its first championship and was honored as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of that season.
