Omer Damari (Hebrew: עומר דמארי; born 24 March 1989) is an Israeli former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the current head coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv's U17 team.

Omer Damari
Damari with Red Bull Salzburg, 2015
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-03-24) 24 March 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Rishon LeZion, Israel
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2011 Maccabi Petah Tikva 118 (29)
2011–2014 Hapoel Tel Aviv 101 (56)
2014–2015 Austria Wien 13 (8)
2015–2018 RB Leipzig 10 (0)
2015–2016Red Bull Salzburg (loan) 16 (4)
2016New York Red Bulls (loan) 5 (0)
2017–2018Maccabi Haifa (loan) 27 (4)
2018–2020 Hapoel Tel Aviv 33 (4)
Total 323 (105)
International career
2007–2008 Israel U19 10 (3)
2008–2010 Israel U21 10 (0)
2010–2016 Israel 20 (9)
Managerial career
2021– Hapoel Tel Aviv U17
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

edit

Maccabi Petah Tikva

edit

Omer grew up in the youth ranks for Maccabi Petah Tikva and made his debut for the senior side on 21 November 2006 in a Toto Cup Al game against F.C. Ashdod.[1] Due to his speed and ball skills he was deployed in wide midfield mostly but later became the leading striker for Maccabi due to good goalscoring form. He made 146 appearances for Maccabi, starting 88 matches, with 58 substitute appearances and scoring 34 goals.

Hapoel Tel Aviv

edit

On 3 July 2011, Damari moved to Hapoel Tel Aviv costing €1.5 million, where he signed a five-year contract with €3 million buy-out clause.[2] Damari helped Hapoel to the Israel State Cup during his first year at the club. He made 101 league appearances for Hapoel, scoring 56 goals in the process. During the 2013–14 season he scored a career high 26 league goals and 31 in all competitions. His fine play during the season led to interest from various clubs throughout Europe.

Austria Wien

edit

In July 2014 Damari signed with Austria Wien. On 9 August 2014, Damari made his first appearance for the club scoring the opening goal for Wien in a 2–2 draw with SC Wiener Neustadt.[3] He ended the season scoring 10 goals in 15 appearances.

 
Damari playing for Austria Wien in 2014

RB Leipzig

edit

In January 2015 Damari signed with RB Leipzig of the 2. Bundesliga.[4]

Red Bull Salzburg

edit

On 30 July 2015, Damari was loaned to sister club FC Red Bull Salzburg for one season.[5] Damari established himself as a starter for Salzburg but was limited to 16 league games due to injury in which he managed to score four goals and provide four assists. He helped the club to the league and cup title during his loan spell.

New York Red Bulls

edit

On 4 August 2016, Damari was once again sent on loan by RB Leipzig, this time to New York Red Bulls.[6] Damari made his debut for New York on 13 August coming on in the second half in a 3–1 victory against the Montreal Impact.[7] The following week, Damari scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Alianza F.C. in the CONCACAF Champions League.[8]

Maccabi Haifa

edit

On 12 January 2017, Damari signed a contract with Maccabi Haifa.

Hapoel Tel Aviv

edit

On 13 July 2018, Damari signed a contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Managerial career

edit

On 14 June 2021, after a year of not playing football professionally, Damari announced his retirement from active play. On the same day, he was appointed coach of the Hapoel Tel Aviv's U17 team.[9]

International career

edit

During the 2010–11 Israeli Premier League season Damari scored 15 goals and was called up for the national team for the first time. On 17 November 2010 he made his debut in a friendly against Iceland at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, scoring two goals in the opening fifteen minutes of a 3–2 win.[10]

Damari was selected by Eli Guttman for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying. On 13 October 2014, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 away win over Andorra, the first goal coming in the third minute.[11]

Career statistics

edit

Club

edit
As of 13 August 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Maccabi Petah Tikva 2006–07 4 0 2 1 3 0 9 1
2007–08 23 3 1 0 4 0 28 3
2008–09 29 1 1 0 4 1 34 2
2009–10 32 10 3 1 5 0 40 11
2010–11 30 15 1 0 4 2 35 17
Total 118 29 8 2 20 3 0 0 146 34
Hapoel Tel Aviv 2011–12 36 17 4 2 5 2 10 4 55 25
2012–13 29 13 3 1 2 0 5 1 39 15
2013–14 36 26 1 0 0 0 4 5 41 31
Total 101 56 8 3 7 2 19 10 135 71
Austria Wien 2014–15 13 8 2 2 0 0 0 0 15 10
RB Leipzig 2014–15 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
Red Bull Salzburg (loan) 2015–16 16 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 4
New York Red Bulls (loan) 2016 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 5 1
Maccabi Haifa (loan) 2016–17 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 2
2017–18 18 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 20 2
Total 27 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 29 4
Hapoel Tel Aviv 2019–20 12 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 2
2020–21 21 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 24 2
Total 33 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 36 4
Career total 322 105 24 7 27 5 20 11 393 128

International

edit
Scores and results list Israel's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Damari goal.
List of international goals scored by Omer Damari
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 17 November 2010 Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel   Iceland 1–0 3–2 Friendly
2 2–0
3 14 November 2012 Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, Israel   Belarus 1–0 1–2 Friendly
4 1 June 2014 BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, United States   Honduras 3–1 4–2 Friendly
5 10 October 2014 GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus   Cyprus 1–0 2–1 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
6 13 October 2014 Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella, Andorra la Vella, Andorra   Andorra 1–0 4–1 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
7 2–1
8 3–1
9 16 November 2014 Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa, Israel   Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Honours

edit

Hapoel Tel Aviv

Red Bull Salzburg

Individual

References

edit
  1. ^ Profile at One!
  2. ^ Hapoel Presents Damari
  3. ^ "SC Wiener Neustadt-Austria Wien (2-2)" (in German).
  4. ^ "WECHSEL PERFEKT! OMER DAMARI IST AB SOFORT EIN LEIPZIGER BULLE!" (in German). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  5. ^ "RBL-Kurzpass". redbulls. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  6. ^ "New York Red Bulls Acquire Israeli international Omer Damari from RB Leipzig on Loan". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  7. ^ "POST-GAME NOTES: New York Red Bulls 3, Montreal Impact 1". NewYorkRedBulls.com.
  8. ^ "Alianza FC, 1 vs. New York Red Bulls, 1". MLSSoccer.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  9. ^ Damari retires and appointed as a coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv's U17 team
  10. ^ "Israel 3-2 Iceland". UEFA. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  11. ^ "Damari treble does job for Israel in Andorra". UEFA. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  12. ^ "אתם בחרתם: עומר דמארי הוא שחקן השבוע". 10 November 2017.
edit