Guy Haimov

Haimov developed in the youth department of Maccabi Tel Aviv, one of Israel's most prominent clubs, and was promoted to the senior squad at the age of 17.[1] Early opportunities at the top level were limited, and he spent loan spells at Hapoel Kfar Saba and Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan.[1] It was at Hakoah, under coach Vicky Peretz, that Haimov broke through as a first-choice goalkeeper at the age of 23.[1]

In a 2024 interview, Haimov recalled that around the age of 20 he was handed a chance in Maccabi Tel Aviv's senior side after goalkeeper Liran Strauber was injured, but the run ended when Haimov tore his shoulder and required ten months of rehabilitation.[2]

Haimov first joined Ironi Kiryat Shmona on loan, where he flourished and became a prominent figure.[1] Maccabi Tel Aviv subsequently recalled him before he returned to Kiryat Shmona permanently, eventually becoming club captain.[1] During the 2010–11 season he won the Toto Cup with the club and played in the State Cup semifinal.[3]

In March 2012, Haimov played for Maccabi Tel Aviv in a 1–0 league derby victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv — Maccabi's first such league win in four years.[4] Eliran Atar scored the decisive penalty in the 42nd minute, while Haimov made several key saves, including stops from Marco Schuler and Toto Tamuz.[4] Maccabi coach Nir Levin praised Haimov for taking his opportunity in a third straight appearance.[5] Haimov called it his first league derby and said the team had worked hard for supporters; the following day he wrote, “For moments like these, we live.”[5][6] A separate report said objects thrown onto the pitch struck Haimov, Atar and Moussa Konaté.[6]

By November 2012, Haimov was on loan at AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, coached by Ran Ben Shimon.[7] After an away 3–0 win over Paphos, he had kept eight consecutive clean sheets since the start of the league season, with Larnaca leading the table on 22 points.[7] That run ended on 11 November 2012 when Larnaca lost 2–1 at home to defending champion AEL Limassol — but not before Haimov's scoreless streak had reached 739 minutes, reported as a Cypriot league record for minutes without conceding from the start of a season.[8] The defeat dropped Larnaca to third place.[8] The Cyprus campaign was later described as a major success for him.[1]

After returning from Cyprus, Haimov rejoined Kiryat Shmona, where he won the State Cup in May 2014.[3] In the final against Maccabi Netanya, the club won 1–0 after extra time; a key moment came when Netanya forward Olarenwaju Kayode broke clear with only Haimov to beat, but attempted a chip that went wide.[9] The victory gave Kiryat Shmona its first State Cup, two seasons after the club had also claimed its first Premier League title.[9]

In August 2015, Haimov was in goal as Kiryat Shmona won the Israeli Super Cup, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 5–4 on penalties after a 2–2 draw at the end of extra time.[10] During the shootout he saved a penalty from Eran Zahavi and then stopped Dor Micha's attempt; when he was penalized for leaving his line early, Micha stepped up again for the retake — and Haimov saved that as well.[10] Kiryat Shmona had played with ten men from the 58th minute.[10] That same year, with Haimov aged 29, he was described as one of the most stable and leading goalkeepers in Israeli football, earning regular call-ups to the Israel national squad, though coach Eli Gutman had not handed him the starting role.[1] He also saved three penalties in a Champion of Champions match against Maccabi Tel Aviv during this period.[1]

In June 2015, Haimov was named among three goalkeepers — alongside Ofir Martziano and Ariel Harush — in Israel's squad for a Euro 2016 qualifier in Bosnia, where he was listed as a Kiryat Shmona player.[11]

In June 2016, Haimov moved to Hapoel Be'er Sheva.[3] He established himself as the regular goalkeeper under coach Barak Bakhar and was part of two championship-winning squads there.[3] In January 2018, his late save in a 1–0 away win over Hapoel Acre — after Ben Sahar had scored from the spot in the 54th minute and Maharan Radi had missed a late penalty for the hosts — was described as crucial to securing the three points.[12]

At the start of the 2018–19 season, Haimov moved from Beersheba to Maccabi Haifa, where Ariel Harush took over the goalkeeping position at the previous club.[13] A 2024 interview noted that Haimov saved two penalties on his Maccabi Haifa debut and started for the Israel national team about two weeks later.[2]

In September 2019, during a match between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Bloomfield Stadium, Haimov collided head-to-head with defender Eyad Habshi while both attempted to block a cross.[14] A club doctor called for him to be substituted, but coach Marko Balbul allowed him to continue at the goalkeeper's own insistence.[14] Haimov was later struck in the head again while smothering the ball, was stretchered off before halftime, and was taken to hospital for tests.[14]

Haimov announced his retirement from professional football on 9 September 2020, at the age of 34.[3] In his retirement statement, he described a 28-year football journey and said that external circumstances no longer allowed him to continue at the standard he expected of himself, adding that health mattered more than prolonging his career.[3] He had lost his place at Maccabi Haifa to Josh Cohen during the 2019–20 season following a shoulder injury.[3]

In a 2022 interview, he elaborated that MRI scans ordered after the head and neck injuries sustained in the September 2019 match unexpectedly revealed a small spinal-cord tumor.[15] A follow-up MRI conducted six months later showed that the tumor had grown; he subsequently underwent surgery and began a rehabilitation programme.[15] He identified the shoulder injury, the discovery of the tumor, and pressure from his family as the combined factors behind his decision to retire, and noted that doctors had told him he could return to playing.[15]

In a 2024 interview, Haimov reflected on pressure as a recurring challenge throughout his career. Looking back, he said he had not recognised at the time that he was afraid of crowds, and that he sometimes finished warm-ups exhausted.[2] He also said that after retiring he spent a year working with a therapist to understand what had led him to that point.[2]

With Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Haimov won the Toto Cup and State Cup.[3] He also won the Super Cup (Champion of Champions).[10] At Hapoel Be'er Sheva, he was part of two league championship-winning squads.[3] He made a senior appearance for Israel and was selected for a Euro 2016 qualifying squad.[2][11]