In Israeli football (soccer), the Israel national under-19 football team () and the Israel national under-20 football team (); or simply Israel Under-19s, Israel U19s; Israel Under-20s, Israel U20s - both squads are also regarded as the feeders for the Israel national under-21 team.

This team is for Israeli players aged 19 (or under) at the start of a two-year UEFA European Under-19 Championship campaign) so players may be up to 20 years old, such as in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In addition to the Israel's senior squad, there are also the Israeli squads for U-21 players, and other youth teams such as, the U-18, the U-17, and the U-16. Players are not level or nation static so can compete at any level as long as they are eligible; U19s do not relinquish level or nation association while competing and can compete on senior side, then back to U19s, and "youth level' or senior level with another nation.

As of 2021, the Israel U19 home ground is the Netanya Stadium in the city of Netanya, Israel.

History The idea to form a youth team first came about in 1957, as the IFA (Israel Football Association) considered entering a team to the 1958 UEFA European Under-18 Championship tournament.The Israeli Youth Team to the Luxembourg World Championship Herut, 17 November 1957, Historical Jewish Press The youth team played its debut match against its England equivalent on 20 May 1962, losing 1–3.The English Youth Team Bested Israel (3:1) Herut 21 May 1962, Historical Jewish Press Two days later, the Israeli squad recorded its first victory, winning 2–1 in a rematch in England.Israel Youth Repaid the English in the Haifa Match – 2:1 Shlomo Mozar, Davar, 23 May 1962, Historical Jewish Press

In 1964, the youth team participated for its debut time in the AFC Youth Championship tournament, sharing the cup with Burma in its first tournament in 1964. The team continued to win the title five more times in the next 8 years, before Israel was boycotted by Muslim and Arab countries along with North Korea, that voted against its participation in AFC tournaments during the 1970s.Time is right for Israel to return to its Asian roots James Montague, 27 February 2008, The Guardian

Until 1992, the youth team's only official tournaments were FIFA Youth Championship qualification tournaments, twice participating in the process in the OFC U-20 Championship and once in the South American Youth Football Championship. At the same period of time, to give the youth squad its share of international matches, the IFA established an annual tournament for under-18 teams, which was held in December and January between 1974 and 1989 (after which the tournament became a tournament for under-17 teams).Winter U-18/U-17 Tournament in Israel RSSSF

In 1992, as Israel was admitted to UEFA, the squad began participating in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship (an under-18 tournament until 2002), appearing in the final tournament in 1997 and 2014 and in 2022.

Israel qualified for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup by virtue of its performance at the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, finishing 2nd place after a loss to England in the final, 1–3 after extra time (1–1 at full time). Throughout the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Israel started against Colombia, which they lost 1–2. Then, they drew against Senegal 1–1. They came back from behind with 10-men to beat Japan 2–1, which secured Israel a spot in the knockout stage. Israel advanced out of the first knockout round with a 1–0 win against Uzbekistan. In the quarter-finals, they came from behind twice to defeat 5-time South American champions Brazil 3–2 in extra time. However, they lost to Uruguay in the semi-finals 0–1. Israel went on to defeat South Korea 3–1 to secure third place in their FIFA U-20 World Cup debut.

Results and fixtures – Israel U-20

2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup

Group stage

The top two teams of each group and the four best third-placed teams advanced to the round of 16.

All times are in Israel Summer Time (Israel Daylight Time, IDT), although the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup is entirely held at Argentina.

Group C

The four best third-placed teams from the six groups advanced to the knockout stage along with the six group winners and six runners-up.

Knockout stage

Bracket

Round of 16 (Eight-finals)

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Third place play-off

International records FIFA U-20 World Cup YearRoundPosition 1977did not qualify 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2023Third placeThird Place7412118 2025Did not qualify 2027TotalThird place3rd7412118

AFC U-19 Championship Edition Round MP W D L GF GA 1964 Champions* 4310100 1965 Champions 6600324 1966 Champions* 5320162 1967 Champions 5410141 1968 Third Place* 7421162 1969 Fourth Place 640283 1970 Quarter-finals 4211101 1971 Champions 6510121 1972 Champions 6600200 Total9/949378413814

Champions* : Title shared DNP : Did Not Participate DNQ : Did not qualify

FIFA World Youth Championship Intercontinental play-off Edition Round MP W D L GF GA 1978Group Phase402215 1980Group Phase401315 1982 Runners-up 4 1 1 2 4 6 1990Runners-up*210122 * Despite both matches of Israel against Australia being hosted in the same city of Sydney, Australia – Australia still won on away goals.

OFC U-20 Championship Edition Round MP W D L GF GA 1985 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 15 6 1986 Runners-up 4 2 2 0 11 3

South American Youth Football Championship Edition Round MP W D L GF GA 1988 Group stage 5 3 0 2 6 4

UEFA European Under-18 Championship

Edition Round MP W D L GF GA 1992Qualifying round 1993First qualifying round 1994First qualifying round 1995First qualifying round 1996First qualifying round 1997Group stage301216 1998Second qualifying round 1999First qualifying round 2000First qualifying round 2001Second qualifying round

UEFA European Under-19 Championship Edition Round MP W D L GF GASquad 2002First qualifying round 2003Second qualifying round 2004Second qualifying round 2005Elite round 2006Elite round 2007Elite round 2008Elite round 2009First qualifying round 2010First qualifying round 2011Elite round 2012Elite round 2013First qualifying round 2014Group stage300318Squad 2015First qualifying round 2016Elite round 2017Elite round 2018First qualifying round 2019Elite round 2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 2022Runners-up521299Squad 2023Elite round 2024Elite round 2025Elite round 2026First qualifying round 2027TBDTotal3/2482151017

Results and fixtures – Israel U-19

2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship

Qualifiers

Qualifying Round – Group 4

Elite Round – Group 1

Qualified teams for the final tournament

The following teams qualified for the final tournament of the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

Note: All appearance statistics include only U-19 era (since 2002). TeamMethod of qualificationAppearanceLast appearancePrevious best performance2002 (2002)2011 (2011)2019 (2003)2014 (2014)2019 (2005, 2010, 2016)2018 (2017)2016 (2003, 2006, 2014)

2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship - Final tournament

Group stage

The final tournament schedule was announced on 28 April 2022.

The group winners and runners-up advanced to the semi-finals and qualify for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Group B

Knockout stage

Bracket

FIFA U-20 World Cup play-off

Winners qualified for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Semi-finals

Final

Coaching staff – U-19 with U-20

PositionNameHead coach Ofir HaimAssistant managers Itay Mordechai Eyal GidronGoalkeeping Coach Guy SolomonFitness Coaches Ofer Eckstein Yehuda "Udi" Ben-Simhon (U-20 only)Technical manager Asi MeirHead doctor Miki ZagerPhysiotherapist Ronen Grundman (U-20 only)Physiotherapist/Masseur Igor LomovskyMasseur Nissan Refael Davidi

Players Current squad The following players were called for the 2027 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches against Austria, Germany and Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 25, 28 and 31 March 2026; respectively.

Caps and goals are correct as of 31 March 2026, after the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Recent call-ups The following players have also been called up to the Israel squad within the last twelve months.

Head-to-head record The following table shows Israel's head-to-head record in the FIFA U-20 World Cup and AFC U-20 Asian Cup. In FIFA U-20 World Cup OpponentWin %Total In AFC U-20 Asian Cup OpponentWin %Total

Honours FIFA U-20 World Cup: Third Place (1): 2023

AFC U-19 Championship (Asia): Winners (6): 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972 Third Place (1): 1968 Fourth Place (1): 1969 OFC Championship (Oceania): Runners-up (2): 1985, 1986 UEFA European Under-19 Championship (Europe): Runners-up (1): 2022

See also

FIFA U-20 World Cup UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship

Israel national football team – senior men's squad Israel national under-23 football team – Olympic men's squad Israel national under-21 football team Israel national under-18 football team Israel national under-17 football team Israel national under-16 football team

References