Lior Refaelov

Lior Refaelov[1] (or Rafaelov, Hebrew: ליאור רפאלוב‎; born 26 April 1986) is an Israeli footballer who plays for Royal Antwerp as an attacking midfielder or winger.

Lior Refaelov
Refaelov with Club Brugge in 2011
Personal information
Full name Lior Refaelov
Date of birth (1986-04-26) 26 April 1986
Place of birth Or Akiva, Israel
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
Club information
Current team
 Royal Antwerp
Number 11
Youth career
1998–2004 Maccabi Haifa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2011 Maccabi Haifa 161 (30)
2011–2019 Club Brugge 177 (40)
2018–2019 → Royal Antwerp (loan) 34 (10)
2019– Royal Antwerp 19 (10)
National team‡
2002–2003 Israel U17 13 (4)
2004 Israel U18 4 (1)
2004 Israel U19 9 (2)
2006–2008 Israel U21 17 (4)
2007– Israel 40 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19:32, 26 January 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 March 2017

He began his career at Maccabi Haifa, where he won the Israeli Premier League three times. In 2011, he transferred to Club Brugge for €2.5 million.[2] With the Belgian side, he won two first division titles in 2016 and 2018 and scored the winning goal in the Belgian Cup final in 2015.[3]

Refaelov made his senior international debut in 2007, and has since earned over 30 caps for Israel.


Early life

Refaelov was born in Or Akiva, Israel, to a family of Jewish descent.

Club career

Maccabi Haifa

In 1998, Refaelov began to play in Maccabi Haifa youth teams. In the 2002–03 season he moved up from the under-16 team to the youth team of the club, and scored in his first match against Neve Yossef.

During the 2003–04 season he scored 7 goals in the youth team, lead it to the youth championship and won the best player award.

Refaelov scored his first goal in the first team during the 2005–06 season on a penalty kick against Hapoel Nazareth Illit, a game which Haifa won 6–0.

In the 2008–09 season, he finished with 9 goals as Maccabi Haifa won the Israeli league championship for the 11th time.[4]

At the conclusion of the 2010–11 season, he was voted 'Player of the Year' in the Israeli football.[5]

Club Brugge
Refaelov in the Club Brugge in 2015.

On 20 June 2011, Refaelov signed with Belgian Pro League side Club Brugge for a fee of €4 euro and 15% from the next sale.[6]

In his first season with the Brugge he scored 7 goals and made 9 assists in all club competition as the club finished as runners-up in the Belgian league. In the next season, Refalov had a great form as he scored 12 goals and made 10 assists. In the 2013–14 season he scored 5 goals and made 14 assists and was one of the most valuable players of the club as they finished third in the league.

On 6 November 2014, he scored a hat-trick as Brugge won 4–0 away to FC Copenhagen to go top of their UEFA Europa League group.[7]

On 22 March 2015, he scored with an added-time volley the winning goal in the Belgian Cup final, as Brugge defeated Anderlecht for their first trophy in eight years.[8]

A year later he repeated the feat, scoring in the 2016 Belgian Cup Final, however this time around Club Brugge lost the final 1–2 to Standard Liege.[9] That same season, he helped Club Brugge win their first league title in 11 years, making 15 league appearances as the club edged out Gent in the final days of the campaign.[10]

Royal Antwerp

On 30 August 2018, Refaelov joined fellow Belgian First Division A side Royal Antwerp on an initial season-long loan.[11] He scored his first goal for the club in a 5–1 league victory over Zulte Waregem on 16 September.[12] On 9 December, Refaelov netted twice in a 3–0 victory over Cercle Brugge K.S.V., moving within four points of league leaders Genk through 18 matches.[13]

In May 2019, Refaelov made his move to Antwerp permanent, signing a contract with the club until 2021.[14] On 1 August 2020, Refaelov scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over his former team Club Brugge in the 2020 Belgian Cup Final.[15]

International career

Refaelov represented Israel in the 2003 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Portugal, scoring his side's only goal in the tournament in a 1–2 loss to England on 7 May 2003.[16]

He made his debut for the national team in an away friendly against Belarus on 22 August 2007, replacing Idan Tal for the last nine minutes of a 1–2 defeat.[17] His next appearance came on 27 May 2010, against Uruguay at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo; he scored the equaliser in a 1–4 defeat.[18]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 7 March 2020[19][20]
Club Season League National Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Maccabi Haifa 2004–05 Ligat HaAl 2020
2005–06 191191
2006–07 251251
2007–08 273273
2008–09 339339
2009–10 34712[lower-alpha 1]1468
2010–11 27112[lower-alpha 2]02911
Total 1673214118133
Club Brugge 2011–12 Pro League 3262012[lower-alpha 2]16[lower-alpha 3]0467
2012–13 2810107[lower-alpha 4]28[lower-alpha 3]13612
2013–14 334202[lower-alpha 2]19[lower-alpha 3]2375
2014–15 30104214[lower-alpha 2]69[lower-alpha 3]43818
2015–16 156511[lower-alpha 2]04[lower-alpha 3]1217
2016–17 Belgian First Division A 212101[lower-alpha 1]04[lower-alpha 5][lower-alpha 3]0242
2017–18 182004[lower-alpha 1]07[lower-alpha 3]2224
Total 177401534110471022453
Royal Antwerp (loan) 2018–19 Belgian First Division A 34101000113611
Royal Antwerp 2019–20 24114140003212
Total 58215140116823
Career total 3468320459114811473109
  1. Appearances in the Champions League
  2. Appearances in the Europa League
  3. Appearances in the Pro League playoffs
  4. Five appearances and two goals in the Europa League and two appearances in the Champions League
  5. Appearance in the Belgian Super Cup

International
Scores and results list Israel's goal tally first.[21]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.26 May 2010Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay Uruguay1–11–4Friendly
2.17 November 2010Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel Iceland3–03–2Friendly
3.11 October 2011Ta' Qali National Stadium, Mdina, Malta Malta1–02–0UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
4.6 February 2013Netanya Stadium, Netanya, Israel Finland2–12–1Friendly
5.26 March 2013Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland1–02–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.24 March 2017El Molinón, Gijón, Spain Spain1–31–42018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Maccabi Haifa

Club Brugge

Royal Antwerp

Individual
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References
  1. "Profile page at the Israel Football Association website". Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  2. "Refaelov raring for Israel derby with Luzon in Belgian league". The Jerusalem Post. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  3. "Club Brugge 2-1 Anderlecht". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  4. History of Maccabi Haifa F.C.
  5. "Rafaelov leaving Haifif for Belgium". The Jerusalem Post. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  6. Ben Dor, Doron (21 June 2011). "Lior Refaelov moving to Club Brugge" (in Hebrew). One. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  7. Vinde, Nicklas (6 November 2014). "Club Brugge's Refaelov runs rings round FCK". UEFA. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  8. "Club Brugge win Belgian Cup final thriller". UEFA. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  9. "Standard redt seizoen met bekerwinst" (in Dutch). Sporza. 20 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  10. "Summary - FIRST DIVISION A 2015-16". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  11. "Antwerp huurt Refaelov voor één seizoen van Club Brugge" (in Dutch). Gazet Van Antwerpen. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  12. "Antwerp blikt Zulte Waregem in met 5-1" (in Dutch). Gazet Van Antwerpen. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  13. "Uitblinker Refaelov deelt prikje uit aan Cercle" (in Dutch). Voetbal Niewus. 9 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  14. "Lior Refaelov: A true Israeli sports ambassador". Jerusalem Post. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  15. "Antwerp wins Belgian Cup as soccer resumes in Belgium". The Seattle Times. 1 August 2020.
  16. "England boosted by Milner winner". UEFA. 7 May 2003. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  17. "Belarus v Israel, 22 August 2007". 11v11. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  18. "Uruguay 4-1 Israel". Sky Sports. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  19. "Lior Refaelov » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  20. Lior Refaelov at Soccerway. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  21. "Refaelov, Lior". National Football Teams. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  22. "Israel - Player of the Year". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
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