Roby Young

Young came to the attention of Hapoel Haifa during a national youth championship match between Hapoel Haifa and Gadna Yehuda.[3] Hapoel Haifa won the match 4–1, and the club's coach, the Yugoslav tactician Zlatko Čajkovski, brought Young directly into the senior squad; Young was 17 at the time.[3][1] Young later praised Čajkovski's ability, saying: "There is no doubt that a player like him had never played for an Israeli team."[3]

The relationship between player and coach was demanding. Young recalled that after Hapoel Haifa defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 5–0 in a friendly match, Čajkovski called him over, slapped him, and told him that he had not run enough.[3] The anecdote illustrated the exacting standards Čajkovski imposed even after an emphatic victory.

Young spent eleven seasons with Hapoel Haifa, making 247 appearances and scoring 60 goals.[1] He was part of the squads that won the State Cup in 1963 and 1966, two of the most significant achievements in the club's history.[1]

His stature at the club endured long after his playing days. A Hapoel Haifa supporters' group poll named him the club's "Footballer of the Millennium."[1] In 2018, the club planned a ceremony in his honor before a match while he was visiting Israel; the report described him as regarded as the club's greatest player of all time.[4]

Young represented the Israel national team from 1961 to 1969, earning 50 caps and scoring eight goals.[2] He captained Israel's squad at the Mexico City Olympics and was part of the national team that won the Asian Cup in Ramat Gan.[2]

His best-remembered moment in an Israel shirt came on home soil during a 1962 World Cup qualifying match against Italy in 1961. In front of 50,000 spectators at Ramat Gan Stadium, Young scored against Italian goalkeeper Lorenzo Buffon to give Israel a surprising 2–0 lead.[1] Italy ultimately recovered to win 4–2, but the goal remained one of the best-remembered episodes of his international career.[1]

Players who reached 50 international appearances were traditionally honored with a special farewell match. Young's took place in Greece, where Israel won and he scored.[2] Israel qualified for the 1970 World Cup approximately six months later, though Young did not participate in that campaign; his preference to continue studying in the United States has been suggested as one possible reason.[2]

After his time with Hapoel Haifa and the national team, Young relocated to the United States. He won a championship with the New York Cosmos in 1972.[1] At the time of a later feature about him, he was living in New York.[3]

Young's place in Israeli football history is reflected in both contemporary rankings and the honors he later received. A Sport1/Maariv ranking of the greatest players to represent the Israel national team placed him 24th.[2] His 247 appearances and 60 goals for Hapoel Haifa, combined with 50 caps and eight goals for Israel, document a long and productive career at club and international level.[1][2] The "Footballer of the Millennium" honor from Hapoel Haifa supporters underscores the affection and respect he retained among the club's fanbase long after his retirement.[1]