Yossi Benayoun

Yossi Benayoun was born in Israel on May 5 1980 and began his professional football career with Hapoel Be’er Sheva also in his native country.

After a short stint at Maccabi Haifa also of Israel, Benayoun moved to Racing de Santander of Spain from where he later moved to the English Premier League when West Ham came calling.

In 2010, the midfielder signed for Chelsea after spending a short time with Liverpool before being loaned out to Arsenal and later back to West Ham.

He however, returned to Maccabi Haifa of Israel after spending a season in the lower tier of the English league with Queens Park Rangers.

With 97 caps to his credit, the former West Ham player is his country’s most capped international.

Benayoun stirred up controversy when he decided to choose Liverpool over West Ham United after verbally agreeing to a new four-year deal in May 2007. The controversy which trailed his decision to sign for Liverpool in 2007 was further heightened when a newspaper publication reported that Benayoun’s Liverpool contract offer was less than what West Ham offered him.

This, however, didn’t stop the Kops from announcing the deal as the player was later unveiled as a Liverpool player in the middle of July after completing a deal worth £5 million.

After spending just one season at Queens Park Rangers in 2013, Benayoun returned to Maccabi Haifa in Israel. He signed a two-year deal reportedly worth the sum of $1 million. After his retirement, the former West Ham, Liverpool, and Queens Park Rangers player was made the Sporting Director of Maccabi Haifa.

On the international front, the midfielder made his senior debut for Israel against Portugal in an international friendly in 1988. In 2008, Yossi Benayoun was made the captain of his country national team. He remains one of the most decorated players his country has ever had.

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