The Israel Olympic Soccer Team is readying to make their first foray into the tournament for the first time since 1976 when the blue-and-white featured at the Montreal Games. This year’s edition will include many up-and-coming players as the competition is primarily made up of an Under-23 squad with the addition of three overage players that gives the chance for some country’s stars to participate in the Paris Olympics.

Israel’s overage contingent will include Maccabi Haifa central defender Sean Goldberg and Omri Gandelman who plies his trade with Gent in Belgium with the latter two having been a part of the success of the youth national teams over the past few years. Bayern Munich’s Daniel Peretz was the third overage player but was ruled out after an injury and he was not replaced by another player in that category.

In addition to the three exemptions, there is plenty of top level talent on the roster with starlet Oscar Gloukh who was released by Red Bull Salzburg to have the opportunity to play in the Olympics. Liel Abada who is playing with Charlotte in North America’s MLS will also be part of the squad which will include five Maccabi Tel Aviv players who won’t be available for the club’s UEFA Champions League early round qualifiers.

Striker Dor Turgeman from the yellow-and-blue will lead the attack along with teammates Elad Madmon, midfielders Ido Shachar and Osher Davida as well as defender Roy Revivo. Ilay Feingold, Or Israelov, Stav Lemkin and Adi Yona are other players to keep a close eye on for the blue-and-white.

Head Coach Guy Luzon’s blue-and-white qualified for the Olympics as one of four teams from Europe after being one of the top squads at last summer’s Under-21 UEFA European Championships and will be composed of players born after January 1, 2001. Israel was drawn into a group with Japan, Paraguay and Mali who will be their opening opponent when play begins on Wednesday July 24th.

“We will come into this tournament very humble,” Luzon said. “I am well aware that we aren’t the best team n the world but we will be the most organized, the team with the most desire and drive and we will do everything to reduce the gaps with the other teams. In no constellation are we the most talented group, but no matter who the opponent is we will come and play our game, play well and score as many goals as possible.”

“It’s very exciting,” Sean Goldberg began. “Being part of the Olympic Games is something unusual, not everyone gets to have such an opportunity. It’s a great honor that head coach Guy Luzon wanted me to be on the squad and I’m coming in with all my might.”

“Guy had spoken to me about this chance and I was very excited and happy that he did,” Goldberg continued. “The fact that I’m the most experienced player on the roster is important because experience is a very significant element, but there are also excellent players here who play in the Israel Premier League as well as those who play abroad. There is a lot of great quality here and if we put in the efforts on the tactical aspect and formation that we will play, we can do some really amazing things together.”

Goldberg understands how significant it is to be able to participate in the Olympics and he won’t be taking this for granted, “This is unequivocally at the top of the events that I have experienced. This is only the third time ever that Israel reached the Games so it is a very rare thing and not everyone ever receives such an opportunity. We are very excited and this is an extraordinary experience.”

Security will obviously be a huge issue that the entire Israeli continent will need to deal with throughout the Olympics, “We had an entire day at The Wingate Institute where we spoke about the issue. This isn’t something new, this also happened at Eurovision and other events. We are aware of this and feel proud to walk with the flag on our chest and represent our country. With God’s help, also to bring a lot of respect.”

The teams that Israel will be playing are primarily new to them, although some of the Japanese players will be familiar due to having played against them at the Under-20 World Cup.

“We are starting to study our rivals and there are players here who also played in the Mundialito in Argentina last summer against Japan, so they know a little. We know that the other teams have excellent abilities and they deserve to be here. We will prepare as best as possible and we will study them, learn their tendencies but also learn about ourselves. How we begin this tournament will be the best way possible and I hope that everything will go the way we want it to.”

The team understands that they are representing the country at a very difficult moment in time and in the shadow of the war against Hamas as well as Hezbollah in the north.

“We are in the midst of a very difficult period for the country and I hope that we will see better days and that all the hostages will soon return home safe and sound. We can provide a little bit of happiness and a put a smile on the face of the people of our nation as well as detaching them just a bit from the difficulty that they are going through. We will do everything for them to feel pride and happiness just for a moment.”

As for expectations, Goldberg would like to see the team go for the gold, “We want to go as far as possible and we really believe it and think it is possible. As for potentially winning a gold medal well Amen to that and hopefully it will be from your mouth to God’s ears.”