Maor Kandil

Kandil began playing football at age seven in the youth department of Beitar Shimshon Tel Aviv.[1] He later joined the youth ranks at Bnei Yehuda and also spent approximately half a year in Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth system.[1] At Bnei Yehuda, youth coach Rami Levy identified Kandil's speed, physical strength, and ability to join attacks and converted him from an attacking role into a right back.[1]

His senior debut came at age 17 for Beitar Shimshon in the Toto Cup in October 2010.[2] He subsequently spent a full senior season with Maccabi Jaffa in Liga Alef, recording 24 appearances and two goals.[1] It was during this period that Kandil came closest to abandoning the game altogether, later recounting: "When I was in Jaffa, I was very close to retiring. I was in Liga Alef and playing footvolley... I was one step before retirement."[3] Alongside association football, he won a national footvolley title but chose to prioritize his football career rather than travel to an international tournament in Brazil.[1]

Kandil's fortunes changed during the 2014/15 season, when Bnei Yehuda sent him on loan to Hapoel Nir Ramat HaSharon in the National League — Israel's second tier.[2] He produced nine assists that campaign, a notable tally for a defender, and the performance earned him a return to Bnei Yehuda and a foothold in the senior game.[1]

His Israeli Premier League debut came on 6 August 2015, when Bnei Yehuda defeated Maccabi Haifa 3–0 at Sami Ofer Stadium.[1] He grew into a regular starter during the 2016/17 campaign, helping the club win the State Cup.[4] The following season his attacking output was particularly prominent in systems using three center-backs; a contemporary report credited him with four league assists at that stage of the season, tied for the most by any defender in the division, though he also received two red cards early in the campaign.[1]

In July 2018, Kandil signed for Maccabi Tel Aviv on a three-year contract with an option for two additional seasons.[5] The transfer was part of a broader deal in which Maccabi Tel Aviv sent Mavis Tchibota, Dor Jan, and Sohil Armayli to Bnei Yehuda and loaned Shagiv Yehezkel to the club.[5] On signing, Kandil said that he had worked from a young age toward this move and now had to prove himself on the field.[5]

He went on to win two Israeli Premier League championships with Maccabi Tel Aviv, in 2019 and 2020, a State Cup in 2021, and two Champion of Champions titles.[6] On the field, he contributed several significant moments: in January 2019 his pass set up Itay Shechter's goal in a 2–0 victory over Hapoel Ra'anana that left Maccabi leading the league.[7] In August 2020, he participated in Maccabi Tel Aviv's 3–0 away win over Suduva of Lithuania in the Champions League second qualifying round — a result that advanced the club to the third qualifying round and avenged two earlier defeats to Suduva in Europa League qualifying.[8]

Among his most memorable league contributions was the decisive goal in a 1–0 away victory at Bnei Sakhnin in 2022, scored in the 87th minute when he finished a rebound from a Djordje Jovanovic shot inside the penalty area — a result that kept Maccabi Tel Aviv in first place.[9] He also scored Maccabi's equalizer in a Little Tel Aviv derby against Bnei Yehuda at Bloomfield Stadium, converting a pass from Dan Bitton in the 80th minute; the match eventually ended 2–2 after Bnei Yehuda equalized in the 89th minute.[10] By the time he left the club, Kandil had accumulated 96 appearances, four goals, and 11 assists for Maccabi Tel Aviv.[6]

Kandil earned three caps for the Israeli senior national team.[6] His debut against Slovakia came after a teammate, San Menachem, was injured; coach Willi Ruttensteiner asked him to fill in as left wing-back in a five-defender system, a role Kandil accepted because he had played it several times at Maccabi Tel Aviv.[3] Early in that match he played a left-footed pass backward to Eran Zahavi, who missed the immediate chance but went on to score a hat-trick as Israel won 3–2.[3]

After his time at Maccabi Tel Aviv, Kandil joined Maccabi Haifa, attracted by a higher financial offer and the near-certainty of European competition.[3] He made 44 appearances for the club, scoring one goal and providing two assists, and described his first season there as perfect, noting he made 37 appearances in that campaign alone.[3][6] A July 2024 report placed him alongside Ilay Feingold and Roey Elimelech as right-back options at the club.[11]

In August 2025, following the expiration of his Maccabi Haifa contract, Kandil agreed to return to Bnei Yehuda on a three-year deal that included a provision for a professional role at the club after his playing days ended.[6]

In May 2026, Kandil announced his retirement from professional football at age 32 while playing for Bnei Yehuda.[3] He said he had been weighing the decision for three or four months and that a knee injury sustained the previous year had been a significant factor.[3] He expressed his expectation of remaining at Bnei Yehuda in a professional capacity after stepping away from playing.[3] Across his career, he recorded 69 appearances, three goals, and 11 assists for Bnei Yehuda; 96 appearances, four goals, and 11 assists for Maccabi Tel Aviv; and 44 appearances, one goal, and two assists for Maccabi Haifa.[6]

Kandil's career became an example of progression from Israel's lower divisions to the top flight and national team. After nearly leaving football in Liga Alef, he won two league championships and two State Cups across Bnei Yehuda and Maccabi Tel Aviv, and earned three senior international appearances.[3][6]