Michael Ohana

Ohana developed through several prominent Israeli youth academies, passing through the youth departments of Hapoel Jerusalem, Beitar Jerusalem, and Maccabi Tel Aviv before joining M.S. Ashdod's youth setup at the age of 16.[4] After a single season in Ashdod's youth team, he made his senior debut for the club on 7 August 2012, going on to make four Premier League appearances in that first senior campaign.[4]

In 2014, Ohana was part of Israel's under-19 team in a 1–0 victory over Georgia that qualified it for the European Championship in Hungary.[5] That same year, while still an Ashdod player and a regular for the Israel youth national team — including at the European Championship itself — he travelled to Liverpool for several days of assessment, described at the time as an opportunity to impress manager Brendan Rodgers and potentially earn a place in the club's youth system.[1]

Ohana became a regular starter for Ashdod during the 2014–15 season, scoring his first career senior goal against Beitar Jerusalem.[6] The following season he was part of the Ashdod side that won promotion back to the Premier League and reached the Toto Cup final.[6] By the time he departed in September 2016, he had accumulated 71 appearances for the club since his debut four years earlier.[7]

In the final minutes of the September 2016 summer transfer window, Hapoel Be'er Sheva signed Ohana, then 20, on a five-year contract.[7] The deal saw Be'er Sheva pay Ashdod NIS 4.5 million, with Ashdod retaining a 50 percent stake in a future transfer and receiving midfielder Dan Bitton on a two-year loan.[7] At the time of signing, Ohana had been one of the Israel under-21 team's most prominent players, having scored twice in a 4–0 win over Liechtenstein only days earlier.[7] Under the terms of the agreement, he was not to participate in Be'er Sheva's European matches that season.[4]

Ohana made an immediate impact. On 15 October 2016, he scored one of the season's most eye-catching goals in a 5–0 league win over Maccabi Petah Tikva — a backheel that lifted the ball over defender Naor Pesser, followed by a header past goalkeeper Danny Amos.[2] "It was just an instinct and I'm happy it worked out," he said of the effort.[2] In March 2017 he added a goal in a 4–0 victory over Maccabi Haifa, finishing accurately after a move down the left flank, as Be'er Sheva extended their unbeaten home record at Turner Stadium to 31 matches — 25 wins and six draws since the ground opened at the start of the 2015–16 season.[8]

The title was secured on 29 April 2017, when Be'er Sheva defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 2–1 to claim their second consecutive Premier League championship. Ohana came on as a substitute and contributed to the move that led to Maor Melikson's equaliser; the winner came late from John Ogu.[9] It was the club's fourth league title overall, following championships in 1975, 1976, and 2016.[9] Across the season of his arrival, Ohana scored five goals in 31 appearances and won the 2017 Aluf HaAlufim title.[6]

An anterior cruciate ligament injury kept Ohana sidelined for an extended period prior to his 2019 move to Beitar Jerusalem.[10] He had only returned to play in February 2019 after that injury — sustained to his left knee — when, during the first half of Beitar Jerusalem's 3–1 win over Hapoel Be'er Sheva in August 2019, he tore the cruciate ligament in his right knee.[11] An MRI confirmed the injury, ending his season before it had properly begun.[11] Beitar owner Moshe Hogeg publicly pledged the club's full support throughout his rehabilitation.[11]

The transfer itself had been high-profile. Ohana had reportedly pushed strongly to join Beitar and had indicated he would play only for that club.[10] The fee was reported as NIS 8 million for half of his playing rights, with Ohana signing a three-year contract subject to medical clearance.[10]

After his time at Beitar Jerusalem, Ohana played for Maccabi Netanya and returned to M.S. Ashdod before signing for Ironi Tiberias in November 2024.[6] He had been without a club since the start of that season; upon signing he was given the number 11 shirt and a contract through the end of the campaign.[6] In a 2024 interview he described his desire to return to the senior Israel national team — for which he had made one appearance — as his biggest dream, saying that wearing the shirt would carry even greater meaning given the hardships and injuries he had endured.[3]

In the same interview, Ohana explained his choice of Tiberias as more than a default: he had turned down several other offers, spoken with coach Eliran Hudda, and felt that the city and club were the right fit for that point in his career.[3] He made 14 Premier League appearances and one State Cup appearance for Tiberias that season, totalling 475 minutes with approximately three assists.[12]

In June 2025, Maccabi Haifa signed Ohana on a one-year deal with a club option for a second.[12] The club's scouting head, Lior Refaelov, described him as highly talented and praised his experience, leadership, character, and creativity.[12] Ohana made 20 appearances for Maccabi Haifa in the 2025–26 season, recorded four assists, and scored in a 4–1 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.[13] His season was cut short when an opponent's tackle caused a month-long absence that saw him miss the upper playoff stage, which he had been eager to contest.[13] Maccabi Haifa did not exercise its contract option at the end of the season.[14]

On 2 October 2026, Ohana was reported to be without a club, having rejected an approach from Bnei Sakhnin. Ironi Tiberias had expressed interest in re-signing him, while a two-year move to M.S. Ashdod appeared likely but had not yet been confirmed.[15]

Ohana's public comments after repeated knee injuries have emphasized resilience. In 2024, he said that he had become happier and more appreciative through his setbacks, adding: "Even if there is 99 percent crap, you have to focus on the one percent of good."[3]

Following the October 7, 2023, attacks, Ohana and two friends began preparing meals for soldiers after a connection was made with the commander of an elite military unit that had requested food for 400 troops.[3] The volunteer effort grew substantially: it expanded to cover more than 80 bases and developed into a formal association with dozens of participants regularly preparing and distributing meals.[3] Ohana described it as among the achievements of which he was most proud.[3]

Reports described Ohana's transfer values in different currencies and formulations. For his 2016 move from Ashdod to Hapoel Be'er Sheva, ONE reported a fee of NIS 4.5 million, while a later Ynet profile described the fee as €1 million.[4][3] For his 2019 transfer to Beitar Jerusalem, a contemporary Ynet report gave a payment of NIS 8 million for half of his playing rights, while the later profile described the purchase as no less than €2 million.[10][3] The reports do not reconcile these descriptions.

Sport5 reports conflict more directly over his 2025–26 Maccabi Haifa goal total: an interview credited him with three goals and four assists, while a report on his departure listed two goals and four assists.[13][14]