Boni Ginzburg

Ben-Zion Shabbtai "Boni" Ginzburg (or Bonni, Hebrew: בן-ציון שבתאי "בוני" גינצבורג; born 12 December 1964) is an Israeli footballer who played as a goalkeeper and retired in 2001. He played for 11 different clubs during his extensive career from 1983 to 2001, and collected 68 caps for Israel.

Boni Ginzburg
Personal information
Full name Ben-Zion Shabbtai Ginzburg
Date of birth (1964-12-12) 12 December 1964
Place of birth Tel Aviv, Israel
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1980–1984 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1987 Maccabi Tel Aviv 113 (0)
1984 → Maccabi Petah Tikva (loan)
1987–1988 Maccabi Haifa 31 (0)
1988–1989 Beitar Jerusalem 24 (0)
1989–1991 Rangers 4 (0)
1991–1992 Maccabi Yavne
1992–1993 Beitar Tel Aviv 31 (0)
1993–1995 Ironi Ashdod 67 (0)
1995–1996 Bnei Yehuda 27 (0)
1996–1999 Maccabi Haifa 14 (0)
1999–2000 Hapoel Ashkelon 30 (0)
2000–2001 Hapoel Kfar Saba
International career
1984–1996 Israel 68 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life
Ginzburg with the President of Israel Reuven Rivlin in 2015

Ben-Zion Shabbtai Ginzburg was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, to a family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. His father died of a heart attack when he was eight.

Club career

In 1983, at the age of 16, he joined Maccabi Tel Aviv FC as a goalkeeper.[1] He also played for Maccabi Petah Tikva FC, Maccabi Haifa F.C. and Beitar Jerusalem FC, before signing for Rangers in 1989.

After two seasons in Glasgow playing second-fiddle to England's Chris Woods, Ginzburg returned home, representing successively Maccabi Yavne FC, Beitar Tel Aviv FC, Maccabi Ironi Ashdod FC, Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv FC, Maccabi Haifa FC, Hapoel Ashkelon F.C. and Hapoel Kfar Saba FC, and retiring at nearly 37.

International career

Ginzburg made his debut for Israel 10 June 1984 in a friendly with Wales keeping a clean sheet as the game ended 0–0. His last match was in another exhibition game, this time against Romania on 14 August 1996, a 0–2 away loss.[2]

In addition to the 62 caps won in FIFA-recognised games, Ginzburg gained another six in qualifying games for the 1988 Olympic football tournament. In his full side appearances he kept 15 clean sheets, adding four in the Olympic ones.

Media career

After retiring Ginzburg began working, eventually as the main presenter, for Channel One's Rishon beSha'ar, a football highlights programme. He also participated in Israel's version of Dancing with the Stars. Nowadays, Boni works as a commentator for the Israeli sports channel Sport 5.

Awards and recognition

See also

References
  1. Jews in Sports: Boni Ginzburg
  2. Boni Ginzburg International Games and Goals Archived March 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine; at RSSSF
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