Osher Davida

Davida began playing football in Ashdod at the age of five.[8] At twelve, he made the decision to join Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth setup, commuting by train to pursue a more professional environment — a move he later described as difficult for both himself and his family.[8]

Shortly before turning fifteen, Davida left Maccabi Tel Aviv for Hapoel Tel Aviv after a dispute over a contract. Maccabi officials sought to have him and other young players sign an agreement, but Davida and his family felt he was too young to commit; after negotiations broke down, he moved to Hapoel shortly before his fifteenth birthday.[8] The timing proved personally turbulent: in the same week he transferred, his parents divorced and his family relocated. He described the period as very difficult, and credited a move into a boarding school with helping him gain some distance from the situation at home, returning to his family on weekends.[8] His parents, he said, continued to encourage him and believed in his prospects even when he questioned whether he was good enough to pursue football.[8]

Davida developed through the youth departments of M.S. Ashdod and Maccabi Tel Aviv before joining Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth setup in 2015.[3] He won the Israeli youth State Cup with Hapoel in 2019 and made his senior-team debut that same year.[3]

Davida established himself as a first-team player at Hapoel Tel Aviv, accumulating 73 senior appearances and 11 goals for the club.[3] His most productive league campaign came in 2021/22, when he scored eight goals in 34 appearances.[3]

Several individual performances from that period drew attention. In one league match at Bloomfield Stadium against Maccabi Petah Tikva, Davida scored what The Jerusalem Post called a "terrific individual effort": he glided into the box and went past several defenders to put Hapoel ahead 1-0, with the side ultimately winning 2-1 thanks to an injury-time goal by Yoav Tomer.[9] In the February 2022 Tel Aviv derby against Maccabi Tel Aviv, he pounced on a rebound to equalise at 2-2, though Maccabi went on to win 3-2 with a goal in second-half injury time.[10]

In September 2022, Davida contributed to an important result for the Israeli Under-21 side, scoring one of Israel's successful penalties in a shootout against the Republic of Ireland at Bloomfield Stadium. Israel won the shootout 3-1, with goalkeeper Daniel Peretz saving Ireland's next three attempts after its first penalty was scored, sending the squad through to the 2023 European Championship.[11]

In August 2022, Standard Liège signed Davida from Hapoel Tel Aviv for approximately €1.6 million, on a three-year contract with an option for an additional year.[4] He made his Belgian Pro League debut that same week, coming off the bench for the final 27 minutes of a 1-0 win over Kortrijk.[4]

The Belgian spell proved difficult. Davida later explained that Standard Liège favoured formations without wingers, which left him without a natural role.[12] He made 21 Belgian league appearances totalling 486 minutes without scoring or providing an assist, plus two playoff appearances for 69 minutes.[5] A May 2023 report described him as not fitting into the squad and as a player Maccabi Haifa was among the clubs monitoring ahead of a likely return to Israel.[13] Davida himself said the coach had told him he regretted being unable to give him adequate playing time, and described leaving as a difficult but necessary decision.[12]

Maccabi Tel Aviv announced Davida's signing on 30 August 2023.[5] Reports on the financial terms differed slightly: ONE described a four-year contract with an option for a fifth season and an initial fee below €800,000, rising to €1.4 million with bonuses, while Sport5 reported a five-season deal with less than €1 million paid upfront and €1.4 million in total.[5][14] Davida said Maccabi showed that it wanted him and intended to build around him; he also said he understood Hapoel supporters' anger but chose the move to advance his career.[12][15]

He made an immediate impact at his new club. In December 2023, Davida scored the second-half winner in a 2-1 away victory over Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium, after Eran Zahavi had equalised a 1-0 halftime deficit.[16]

Davida's 2024/25 season was his most productive at senior level, bringing personal highs in goals, assists, and playing time.[17] He credited coach Žarko Lazetić with sharpening his game, particularly his movement into the penalty area and use of his right foot.[17] On the final matchday of the season, his cross led to Jean Marcelin scoring an own goal in a 5-0 defeat of Beitar Jerusalem — the result that clinched Maccabi's second consecutive league championship, with the club finishing two points ahead of Hapoel Beersheba.[7]

Ahead of that run-in, Davida had made a bold public prediction following a loss to Beitar Jerusalem, declaring that Maccabi would beat Hapoel Be'er Sheva 3-0 and win the championship. He stood by the statement despite hostile messages from some Hapoel Be'er Sheva supporters, and said teammates told him it had helped strengthen the squad's belief in their title chances.[17]

Early in the 2026/27 season, Davida continued to operate effectively on Maccabi's right flank. In a 4-1 derby win over Hapoel Tel Aviv, he scored Maccabi's second goal and celebrated in front of the Hapoel supporters with a gesture inspired by Eran Zahavi. Coach Kenny Miller said club staff had described Davida's form two seasons earlier as a "wonderful season" with good numbers, goals, and assists, and said he was "in a really good place."[1]

Davida represented Israel at Under-21 level, playing a key role in qualifying for the 2023 European Championship. Despite starting throughout qualifying — including providing an assist in the away playoff leg against Ireland and scoring the decisive final penalty in the return-leg shootout — he was left out of the squad for the tournament itself. He later revealed that coach Guy Luzon had told him the team planned to play without wingers.[15]

Davida was subsequently selected for Israel's squad at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, held 26 July to 11 August 2024 in Paris, France.[6][15] Ahead of the tournament, he described his pace, forward runs, and counterattacking ability as the qualities he expected to contribute.[15]

Davida lives with his wife and daughter in Gan Yavne and has described himself as very family-oriented, maintaining close ties with his family in Ashdod.[17] He has spoken about a difficult period during his wife's pregnancy that affected him emotionally, but noted that both his wife and their daughter were well.[17]