Maccabi Rishon LeZion (handball) explained

Clubname:	Maccabi Rishon LeZion
Fullname:	Maccabi Rishon LeZion
Founded:	1950
Ground:	Beit Maccabi Sport Centre
Capacity:	1,500
Chairman:	Arik Alcalay
League:	Winner League
Colour1:	FFF000
Colour2:	0000FF
Pattern La1:	_adidassquadra21yw
Pattern B1:	_adidassquadra21yw
Pattern Ra1:	_adidassquadra21yw
Pattern Sh1:	_adidassquadra21rb
Pattern La2:	_adidassquadra21rbsy
Pattern B2:	_adidassquadra21rbsy
Pattern Ra2:	_adidassquadra21rbsy
Pattern Sh2:	_adidassquadra21rb

Maccabi Rishon LeZion (Hebrew: מכבי ראשון לציון) is a professional handball club from the city of Rishon LeZion, Israel. They compete in the Israeli Handball League, within the Israeli first division.

History

Maccabi Rishon Lezion was founded in 1950 by Danny Reingold, Mishka Davidson, Mena Davidson, Prof. Arnon Sofer and Motella Rosenstein. He won his first championship in 1959. In 1964, the club disbanded for one season and was re-established a season later. The team's biggest achievement in the European Cups was on its first appearance there in 1983 when it reached the EHF Cup Winners' Cup semifinal, losing to the Spanish team FC Barcelona. After some bad years in the 1990s, the team returned to success: between 2003 and 2007 it won three championships and four cups. During its history, it won 18 national championships (in 1959, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1992, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2023), 12 national cups (1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2019). Their biggest rival is Hapoel Rishon LeZion, another great Rishon LeZion team. The derby games between them have been very tense throughout the last two decades.

Crest, colours, supporters

Kits

Sports Hall information

Arena: - Beit Maccabi Sport Centre
City: - Rishon LeZion
Capacity: - 1500
Address: - Golda Meir 21. 25002 Rishon LeZion, Israel

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2023–24 season^[1]

Technical staff

Physiotherapist: Nelly Aminov

Transfers

Transfers for the 2023–24 season

Joining

Aviv Leifer (LW) from Hapoel Ashdod
Alon Shulman (RW)

Leaving

Moshe Elimelech (GK) to Handball Club Holon
Amit Motola (RW)
Sharon Peres Shalem (LW)
Kesem Amiel (LW)
Yonatan Hadar (RB)
Gafar Hadžiomerović (LP) to HSC Kreuzlingen^[2]

Previous squads

2018–2019 Team
Shirt No	Nationality	Player	Birth Date	Position
2			26 August 1999	Line Player
3			6 January 1980	Right Winger
5			28 July 1992	Line Player
7			23 October 1990	Left Winger
8			14 January 1994	Right Back
9			25 January 1988	Left Back
10			16 April 1988	Central Back
11			12 July 1981	Line Player
12			1 January 1975	Goalkeeper
13			18 August 1989	Left Winger
14			4 March 1994	Goalkeeper
18			19 November 1990	Right Winger
22			26 September 1995	Left Back
24			9 January 1993	Right Winger
29			26 May 1985	Central Back
32			5 March 1990	Goalkeeper
55			29 June 1999	Right Back
89			3 January 2000	Left Winger

2016–2017 Team
Shirt No	Nationality	Player	Birth Date	Position
3			6 January 1980	Right Winger
5			28 July 1992	Line Player
7			7 March 1990	Right Back
9			15 August 1981	Left Winger
10			16 April 1988	Central Back
11			28 July 1995	Central Back
12			1 January 1975	Goalkeeper
15			12 March 1990	Left Winger
16			31 July 1997	Goalkeeper
18			19 November 1990	Right Winger
19			2 October 1990	Left Winger
23			15 March 1980	Central Back
24			9 January 1993	Right Winger
26			20 November 1995	Line Player
29			26 May 1985	Central Back
32			5 March 1990	Goalkeeper
55			29 June 1999	Right Back
91			10 January 1994	Central Back
99			4 December 1986	Left Back

Titles

Winner League
- Winner (18) : 1959, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1992, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023
Israel Handball Cup
- Winner (12) : 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019

EHF ranking

^[3]

Rank	Team	Points
110	SKA Minsk	44
111	MT Melsungen	44
112	BK-46	44
113	Maccabi Rishon LeZion	43
114	Handball Käerjeng	42
115	RK Vogošća	42
116	Dinamo Viktor Stavropol	42

Former club members

Notable former players

Ivan Karačić (2016–)
Robert Markotić (2016–2017)
Marko Matić (2018–2019)
Milorad Krivokapić (2014–2015)
Radivoje Ristanović (2017–2018)
Silviu Băiceanu (2011)
Pavel Atman (2022–)
Rok Praznik (2016–2017)
Renato Vugrinec (2015–2016)
Luis Felipe Jiménez Reina (2017–2018)
Branko Kankaraš (2021–2022)
Duško Milinović (2008–2009)
Rastko Stojković (2018–2019)

External links

- - Maccabi Rishon LeZion at Handball Base