Orel Dgani

Dgani grew up at Maccabi Netanya and joined the club's senior squad in 2008.[1] Over his first three seasons he rose to become club captain before moving to Maccabi Haifa.[2][3]

On August 31, 2011, Dgani signed a four-year contract with reigning Israeli champion Maccabi Haifa, with the transfer driven partly by Haifa's need to replace Ecuadorian defender John Narvaez, who had been released for contractual reasons.[2] Maccabi Haifa paid Maccabi Netanya approximately 3.5 million shekels for him, while Dgani was set to earn approximately 2 million shekels over the four-year term.[2] He said, "I'm happy to join the biggest club in Israel," and thanked Netanya for his years there.[2]

Dgani integrated quickly at Maccabi Haifa, with teammates noting that he arrived in match fitness from Netanya.[4] He made his first start in a 1–0 loss to M.S. Ashdod, with his performance described as a reasonable debut; the result followed a 2–2 draw with Hapoel Petah Tikva.[5] In April 2012, he was expected to miss a match against his former club Maccabi Netanya because he was scheduled to undergo abdominal-muscle surgery.[6]

His club chronology during this period was Maccabi Haifa (2011–2013), a season at Hapoel Tel Aviv (2013–2014), a return to Maccabi Haifa (2014–2016), and then a longer stint at Hapoel Tel Aviv (2016–2020).[3] He was part of the Maccabi Haifa side that won the State Cup in 2016.[1] During his second spell at Hapoel Tel Aviv he became a popular and stable presence in the club's defense.[7]

In summer 2020, Beitar Jerusalem activated a reported release clause of 400,000 U.S. dollars in Dgani's Hapoel Tel Aviv contract.[7] His agent initially disputed the move, arguing that the transfer required the player's and agency's approval.[7] Dgani later explained that he had not received three months of salary from Hapoel Tel Aviv and, with family considerations in mind, accepted the move after Beitar pursued him strongly.[8] He acknowledged that he understood the frustration of Hapoel supporters who booed him and said he remained emotionally connected to the club.[8] He went on to win the State Cup with Beitar Jerusalem in 2023.[1]

Dgani made his senior Israel debut on March 28, 2015, in a 3–0 Euro 2016 qualifying defeat to Wales.[9] He started in a back line alongside Tal Ben Haim, Eitan Tibi, and Omri Ben Harush, and was given the assignment of helping contain Welsh star Gareth Bale.[9]

After a gap of more than four years, he was recalled to the squad during the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign by coach Andreas Herzog, making four appearances in that cycle — against Austria, Slovenia, and North Macedonia twice.[7] He accumulated a total of 21 caps for the national team.[10]

In June 2025, Dgani said his international career had ended following a dispute over his decision to undergo a hair transplant before friendly matches.[11] He said he chose to disclose the procedure honestly rather than claim injury. According to his account, Yossi Benayoun told him, "If you chose a hair transplant before the national team, then the national team is less important to you," and warned that there would be consequences.[11] Dgani said he then understood that his time with the national team was over.[11]

After being released by Beitar Jerusalem, Dgani joined Hapoel Haifa on a one-season contract in August 2024.[1][12] He made 23 Premier League appearances for the club during the 2024–25 season.[11] In 2025, he signed a one-season deal with newly promoted Hapoel Petah Tikva.[10] He later described his season there as successful, highlighting the club's upper-playoff finish, and said he missed only approximately two weeks.[8]

Dgani expressed frustration that Israeli clubs tended to prefer younger players over experienced veterans, stating: "I would very much like to settle with a Premier League team, but at the moment I do not have many options... I think I can still play in the Premier League and would feel that dropping to the Leumit was a missed opportunity."[8]

On September 14, 2026, M.S. Ashdod announced that Dgani had signed a two-year contract and assigned him shirt number 25.[3][13] The club noted that he had accumulated more than 400 Israeli Premier League appearances across his career.[13] The move represented a return to the second-tier National League for the first time since 2017–18, when he helped Hapoel Tel Aviv earn promotion to the Premier League.[13] Dgani said he was happy to take on the challenge and would contribute his experience to help Ashdod regain top-flight status.[14]

By the time he joined M.S. Ashdod in 2026, Dgani had recorded more than 400 league appearances and 21 appearances for Israel.[13] His honors included State Cup victories with Maccabi Haifa in 2016 and Beitar Jerusalem in 2023.[1] He also helped Hapoel Tel Aviv win promotion from the National League in 2017–18.[13]

His longevity included captaincy at Maccabi Netanya, repeated spells at Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv, and four seasons at Beitar Jerusalem.[2][3]

Several episodes in Dgani's career have attracted public attention. His 2020 transfer from Hapoel Tel Aviv to Beitar Jerusalem involved a contested release clause, with his agent initially arguing that the move required the player's own approval.[7] Dgani himself later characterized the transfer as unplanned, citing unpaid wages as a deciding factor.[8]

His account of how his national-team career ended — centered on the hair-transplant episode — is based on his own retrospective recollection and has not been independently corroborated.[11]

In September 2026, Dgani filed a claim with Israel's National Insurance Institute, alleging that an injury caused him to avoid contact in training. He also reported poor sleep, nightmares in which a coach shouted at him for avoiding tackles, and flashbacks.[15] These statements were allegations in his claim rather than conclusions of a medical or legal determination.