01In brief
Steven Cohen (born 27 February 1986) is a French-Jewish football midfielder whose club career included Beitar Jerusalem, Hapoel Ra’anana and Hapoel Acre. He scored both goals in Hapoel Acre’s 2–1 victory over Hapoel Haifa in October 2013. By 2021, he had retired from playing and was living in the United States; he had also been named among the managers of Beitar Jerusalem’s planned soccer academy in Miami.
02Early Life
Cohen was born on 27 February 1986 and grew up in France.[1][2] Recalling his childhood among Jewish and Arab neighbors, he said, “We never talked about politics—only football” (translated from Hebrew).[2] In a 2013 interview, he also mentioned that he remained in contact with a Muslim friend from Charleroi.[2]
03Career
Cohen’s club chronology includes Montpellier in 2005–06, Racing Ferrol in 2006–07 and 2007–08, and Salamanca in 2008–09.[1] He played for Hapoel Ra’anana in the 2009–10 season.[1] In September 2009, he scored an early goal against Ashdod before Idan Shriki equalized, leaving the teams with a 1–1 draw.[6]
Cohen’s time at Beitar Jerusalem spanned the 2010–11 through 2012–13 seasons, including a departure for Belgian side Beveren and a subsequent return.[1][2] In September 2010, he received an Israeli identity card and was registered as an Israeli player by the Israel Football Association; although regulations ordinarily required a two-year wait, Beitar bypassed that procedure in his case.[7] The following month, against Maccabi Haifa, Cohen intercepted a misplaced pass from defender Shai Maimon less than two minutes into the second half and picked out Samuel Yeboah, who scored to put Beitar ahead.[8] Maccabi Haifa later led 3–2, but Beitar secured a 3–3 draw with a stoppage-time equalizer.[8]
Well liked by Beitar supporters, Cohen gave up a substantial amount of money to return to the club after leaving for Beveren.[2] At the time of a 2013 interview, he had made four starts and 12 substitute appearances during his 2012–13 return, scoring once.[2] He explained that joining midway through the season without attending training camp had made it difficult to catch up physically.[2] After regaining fitness, he expected more playing time, while acknowledging that selection rested with the coach.[2] Discussing his frustration on the bench, he said, “If someone isn’t sad when he doesn’t play, he doesn’t really love football” (translated from Hebrew).[2]
Cohen recalled that Beitar’s expectations that season had shifted from reaching the upper playoff group to securing its place in the league.[2] He said the team had been two points from second place about two and a half months before the interview, yet had secured survival only the previous week, attributing the decline to numerous problems at the club.[2] Sparse crowds also affected the players, he said, contrasting attendances of 1,500 or 2,000 with a full Teddy Stadium.[2]
Cohen played for Hapoel Acre in 2013–14.[1] In October 2013, he scored in the 29th and 53rd minutes of Acre’s 2–1 victory over Hapoel Haifa; Zarko Korac scored Haifa’s consolation goal in the 89th minute.[3] Cohen’s club chronology subsequently places him at Hapoel Haifa for the 2014–15 season.[1]
04Legacy and Post-Playing Career
In 2020, Cohen was named among the managers of Beitar Jerusalem’s soccer academy in Miami, alongside Ivo Facianof and the Ben Shimol brothers.[4] The branch was called Beitar Miami-Jerusalem and was presented as a project aligned with Shabbat observance and Jewish communal life in South Florida.[4] By 2021, Cohen had retired from playing and was living in the United States; he remained among the coaches expected to participate in the Miami branch.[5]
Sources
- 1Walla! Sport, Sports, accessed on November 9, 2026.
- 2Sport5, Steven Cohen: “This season is a nightmare; it would be a disaster if Beitar Jerusalem were dissolved”, accessed on November 9, 2026.
- 3The Jerusalem Post, Hapoel fires blanks once more against Ra’anana, accessed on November 9, 2026.
- 4Maariv, Across continents: Beitar Jerusalem to establish a branch in Miami, accessed on November 9, 2026.
- 5Sport5, Where are they today? Beitar Jerusalem’s forgotten foreign players, accessed on November 9, 2026.
- 6The Jerusalem Post, Local Soccer: Hap Haifa humbles Maccabi TA to continue hot start, accessed on November 9, 2026.
- 7Walla! Sport, Yeboah signed with Beitar: “I promise the fans I’ll score goals”, accessed on November 9, 2026.
- 8The Jerusalem Post, Betar earns thrilling 3-3 draw in Haifa, accessed on November 9, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
Who was Steven Cohen?
Steven Cohen is a French-Jewish former football midfielder whose club career included Montpellier, Racing Ferrol, Salamanca, Hapoel Ra’anana, Beitar Jerusalem, Hapoel Acre and Hapoel Haifa. He scored both goals in Hapoel Acre’s 2–1 victory over Hapoel Haifa in October 2013. By 2021, he had retired from playing and was living in the United States.
What was Steven Cohen’s career at Beitar Jerusalem like?
Steven Cohen played for Beitar Jerusalem from the 2010–11 through 2012–13 seasons, leaving for Belgian side Beveren before returning. He was well liked by Beitar supporters and gave up a substantial amount of money to return. In September 2010, he received an Israeli identity card and was registered as an Israeli player by the Israel Football Association, with Beitar bypassing the usual two-year wait.
What did Steven Cohen say about Beitar Jerusalem’s difficulties in 2012–13?
Steven Cohen said Beitar Jerusalem’s expectations had changed from reaching the upper playoff group to securing its place in the league. He recalled that the team had been two points from second place about two and a half months before his 2013 interview but secured survival only the previous week. He attributed the decline to numerous problems at the club and said sparse crowds affected the players.
How many goals did Steven Cohen score against Hapoel Haifa?
Steven Cohen scored twice for Hapoel Acre in its 2–1 victory over Hapoel Haifa in October 2013. He scored in the 29th and 53rd minutes, while Zarko Korac scored Hapoel Haifa’s consolation goal in the 89th minute.
What did Steven Cohen do after retiring from football?
After retiring from playing, Steven Cohen was living in the United States by 2021 and remained among the coaches expected to participate in Beitar Jerusalem’s Miami branch. In 2020, he was named among the managers of the Beitar Miami-Jerusalem soccer academy, alongside Ivo Facianof and the Ben Shimol brothers. The branch was presented as a project aligned with Shabbat observance and Jewish communal life in South Florida.