Israel eye history as final three Euro 2024 places up for grabs

Source: The Straits Times

LONDON - Israel's footballers are aiming to make history by reaching the European Championship for the first time amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with the final three places at Euro 2024 up for grabs over the next week.

Twelve teams still have dreams of reaching Germany later in the summer with three sets of four nations to face off in the play-off semi-finals on March 21 and the winners progressing to a final on March 26.

Israel became a member of European football's governing body Uefa 20 years ago, but are yet to reach the continent's major international competition.

The war between Israel and Hamas has forced Alon Hazan's men to try and finish the job on the road with no international matches going ahead in Israel for the forseeable future due to security concerns.

Their semi-final against Iceland will be played in Hungary's capital Budapest, with the winners facing Bosnia and Herzegovina or Ukraine away in the final.

If not for the conflict, Israel may have already qualified automatically as they were in a strong position prior to the attacks by Hamas on Oct 7.

On their return to action in November, they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Kosovo and then failed to win either of crucial qualifiers against Romania and Switzerland, which should have been at home but were instead moved to Hungary.

All that aside now, it is still vital for Hazan that his side make it to Euro 2024 - Israel last made it to a major tournament at the 1970 World Cup - but perhaps there are more significant things than football, the coach suggested.

"(It) is more important for us that we can be proud of our country and give some happiness to change the atmosphere," Hasan told Sky News previously.

"This is more important than being part of the tournament."

On the match against Iceland, he added: "I heard that Iceland is talking about the fact that they just have to get past us to reach the final so we are coming into this game as a kind of an underdog.

"We have to work harder than any team and do things at the highest level of commitment, this will be key to success."

Should Israel get past Iceland, they could face a much sterner test in another nation determined to give their war-torn people cause to cheer in Ukraine.