Charlotte FC’s Liel Abada has been selected to represent Israel at the Paris Olympics. He will join Israel’s national team this week against the national team.
Israel qualified for the Olympic tournament for the first time since 1976 by reaching the semifinals of the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 championship. The soccer competition begins on July 24, two days before the Games officially open. Israel will face Mali at Parc des Princes in their first match.
Abada will leave Charlotte FC after Wednesday’s match against the Columbus Crew. Depending on Israel’s progress, he will miss at least three games, including one league match against Austin FC and two Leagues Cup matches. Abada has started 12 of his first 14 games with Charlotte, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
Israel’s group includes Paraguay and Japan, with matches scheduled for July 27 and July 30. Despite Israel’s historic Olympic qualification, the team faces a challenging group. They beat Brazil in the quarterfinals of the FIFA Men’s U-20 World Cup and Japan in group play.
The Olympic soccer tournament is an Under-23 event, with FIFA allowing three players over 23 on each roster. This will be Israel’s 18th appearance at the Summer Olympics, though they missed the Moscow 1980 Games due to the U.S.-led boycott. Israel’s 18-man soccer team is part of the country’s 88-athlete contingent for the Paris Games.
Liel Abada last played for Israel’s national team in the EURO 2024 Qualification Semi-Final, where they lost to Iceland. Despite this setback, the 22-year-old now has the chance to showcase his talent on the international stage and compete for an Olympic medal.
You 𝑨𝑩𝑨𝑫𝑨 believe it!
Liel Abada has been called up to the Israel National Team for the 2024 Paris Olympics 🫡 pic.twitter.com/rpuEfVi0Ru
— Charlotte FC (@CharlotteFC) July 2, 2024
The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics soccer competition schedule for Israel is as follows:
- July 24 – Mali vs Israel
- July 27 – Israel vs Paraguay
- July 30 – Israel vs Japan
Liel Abada quickly became a key player for Charlotte FC, scoring his first goal within 179 minutes of joining the club. He scored twice in a 3-2 win over Atlanta United and is currently the third-highest goal scorer for Charlotte FC.
