The Israel national handball team is controlled by the Israel Handball Association, and represents Israel in international matches.
Competitive record
European Championship European Championship recordYearRoundPosition 1994 Did not qualify 1996 1998 2000 2002Preliminary round1430036782 2004 Did not qualify 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 To be determined 2030 2032Total1/20–30036782
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.
Date Opponent H/A Venue Spectators Result H.T Top scorer 4 January 2007 Serbia Away Belgrad 2,000 Lost – 37:27 16:11 Tom Matalon, Avishay Smoler (6) 6 January 2007 Serbia Home Raanana 2,000 Win – 30:29 16:12 Gal Avraham (7) 10 January 2007 Macedonia Home Raanana 2,000 Lost – 28:30 15:19 Idan Maimon (7) 13 January 2007 Macedonia Away Scopia 1,500 Lost – 27:26 12:10 Gal Avraham, Avishay Smoler (5) 17 January 2007 Luxembourg Away Luxembourg 500 Win – 25:26 11:13 Idan Maimon 21 January 2007 Luxembourg Home Raanana 500 Win – 35:26 17:10 Idan Maimon (9)
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 (out of three) after beating The Faroe Islands at both games.
Date Opponent H/A Venue Spectators Result H.T Top scorer 9 January 2008 Faroe Islands Away Torshaven 800 Win – 21:26 8:15 Avishay Smoler (6) 12 January 2008 Faroe Islands Home Raanana 1,000 Win – 31:21 17:11 Gal Avraham (6) 16 January 2008 Serbia Home Raanana 1,600 Lost – 31:34 15:17 Avishay Smoler (10) 19 January 2008 Serbia Away Belgrad 2,000 Lost – 44:36 20:15 Avishay Smoler, Chen Pomeranz (10)
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.
Date Opponent H/A Venue Spectators Result H.T Top scorer 29 October 2008 Slovenia Home Rishon LeZion 800 Lost – 28:36 16:21 Avishay Smoler (10) 2 November 2008 Bulgaria Away Blagoevgrad 400 Won – 28:34 15–20 Avishay Smoler (9) 26 November 2008 Belarus Away Berst 3,700 Lost – 38:31 21:14 Gal Avraham (7) 29 November 2008 Belarus Home Rishon LeZion 1,000 Lost – 28:31 11:19 Tom Matalon (6) 18 March 2009 Bulgaria Home Kiryat Motzkin 900 Won – 29:20 16:10 Chen Pomernz (6), Avishay Smoler (6) 22 March 2009 Germany Away Ashafenburg 4,500 Lost – 24:36 15:17 Gal Avraham (12) 17 June 2009 Slovenia Away Ljubljana 3,000 Lost – 27:40 17:20 Chen Pomeranz (6) 21 June 2009 Germany Home Rishon LeZion 1,000 Lost – 40:21 17:12 Chen Pomeranz (6)
Team Current squad Squad for the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship – European Qualification.
Head coach: Oleg Boutenko
Former coaches Eugen Trofin (−1983) Israel Brener (1982–1983) Moshe Lagil (1983–1984) Shlomo Hoffman (1992–2008) Gilad Maor (2008–2012) Dragan Đukić (2012–2015) Per Carlén (2015–2016) Oleg Boutenko (2016–2022) Dragan Đukić (2022–2023) Saar Frankel (2023–2024) David Pisonero (2024–)
External links
IHF profile