| Omri Gandelman | |
| Birth Date: | 16 May 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Hod HaSharon, Israel |
| Height: | 1.88 m |
| Position: | Midfielder, forward |
| Currentclub: | KAA Gent |
| Clubnumber: | 6 |
| Youthyears1: | 2008–2011 |
| Youthyears2: | 2011–2014 |
| Youthyears3: | 2014–2017 |
| Youthyears4: | 2017–2018 |
| Youthyears5: | 2018 |
| Youthyears6: | 2018–2020 |
| Years1: | 2020–2023 |
| Caps1: | 100 |
| Goals1: | 9 |
| Years2: | 2023– |
| Clubs2: | KAA Gent |
| Caps2: | 46 |
| Goals2: | 15 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2021–2023 |
| Nationalteam1: | Israel U21 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 14 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 4 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2024 |
| Nationalteam2: | Israel Olympic |
| Nationalcaps2: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 1 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2021– |
| Nationalteam3: | Israel |
| Nationalcaps3: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 1 |
| Club-Update: | 1 December 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 10 October 2024 |
Omri Gandelman (he|עמרי גנדלמן also spelled Hebrew: עומרי גאנדלמן; born 16 May 2000) is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or forward for Belgian Pro League club KAA Gent and the Israel national team.
Gandelman was born and raised in Hod HaSharon, Israel,[1] to an Israeli family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and of Sephardi Jewish descent. His father is Israeli former basketball player Shmuel "Shmulik" Gandelman,[2] and grandson of Rami Gandelman who was a basketball manager and a sports personality in Jerusalem.[3]
He also holds a Portuguese passport, on account of his Sephardi Jewish ancestors,[1] which eases the move to certain European football leagues.
Gandelman is a youth product of the academies of the Israeli clubs Hapoel Hod HaSharon, Maccabi Petah Tikva and Hapoel Ra'anana. In 2018, he was scouted by the German academy of Wehen Wiesbaden and had a stint there, before returning to Israel for its mandatory military service after Gandelman's astounding performance in the UEFA U-21 Euros; he had signed a pre-agreement with English Premier League side Arsenal FC but nothing came of this.[3] He made his professional debut with Maccabi Netanya in a 3–1 Israeli Premier League win over Ironi Kiryat Shmona on 2 June 2020.[4]
Gandelman played for the Israel U21 side from 2021 to 2023.
Coming on as a substitute within the first half, Gandelman debuted with the seniors' Israel national team in a 4–2 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification away loss against Austria on 12 November 2021.[5] Omri Gandelman scored his first international goal for Israel in their UEFA Nations League match against France on 10 October 2024.
Gandelman was selected for Israel's squad to compete in the men's football tournament at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[6] He played Israel whole three games[7] [8] [9] as they were knocked out in the group stage. He scored a goal against Paraguay to make it 1–1, but Israel eventually lost the match.[10]
| Season | League | Belgian Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Gent | 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 33 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 45 | 13 |
| 2024–25 | Belgian Pro League | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 9 | |
| Career total | 46 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 66 | 22 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Israel | 2021 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Total | 3 | 1 | ||
Scores and results list Israel's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gandelman’s goal
Maccabi Netanya