Revivo, Haim

Revivo is considered one of the finest Israeli players of all time. His impressive technical ability and high work-rate saw him through an impressive stint in Spain and Turkey where he gained widespread international repute. In 2004, after returning to Israel and playing for his hometown team of S.C Ashdod, Haim announced his retirement. In a press conference held on March 31, 2004, he said, "I have achieved all the goals I set out for myself and so much more." Revivo received a job in management at S.C Ashdod.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Feb. 22, 1972

Career Highlights:
Born and bred in the Ashdod youth system, Revivo first made his mark as a professional at B'nei Yehuda. He was brought into the successful club as a rookie during the 1991-92 season, and made an immediate impact. Revivo scored ten goals and provided many assists for the attack-minded club that managed a second place finish. The following year, however, Revivo left B'nei Yehuda for Hapoel Tel Aviv where he scored another ten goals and helped his club reach the State Cup final.

Two years later, during the 1994-95 season with Maccabi Haifa, Revivo cemented his position as the best player in the country. He scored 17 goals and was top scorer in the league despite playing in midfield! A year later Revivo caught the eye of several European scouts as he scored 26 goals. He landed with Celta Vigo, a modest First Division Spanish club, where he spent the 1996-97 season. That year he was often benched and did not excel. The following campaign was a watershed for both Revivo and Celta Vigo. Revivo was impressive on the left wing and scored seven league goals as the team finished sixth and qualified for European competition for only the second time in the club'shistory.

The 1998-99 season was a vintage year for Revivo as Celta exceeded all expectations by reaching the UEFA Cup quarterfinal. They even knocked Liverpool F.C out of the competition with the help of a stunning Revivo winner on English soil. Haim delivered the goods in Spanish competition as well. He scored nine goals, added ten assists, became captain of Celta, and was voted the club's best player by team fans. That same year he also scored the crucial goal as Israel defeated Argentina in Jerusalem. Revivo had made a name for himself in the continent.

Unfortunately, a coaching change in Celta during the 1999-2000 season meant that Revivo was benched, and a red card in the crucial European Championship match against Denmark hindered Israel's progress. An oft-touted move to Barcelona did not materialize, so Haim he moved to the famous Turkish club Fenerbache.

The Istanbul side looked to Revivo as their savior, having lost their spot as Turkey's top club to the rival Galatasaray squad. Revivo led the team to its first title in five seasons, scoring 14 goals and was voted "Turkish player of the year" by several leading publications. In the 2001-02 season Revivo scored the first Champions League goal by any Israeli, and led Fenerbache to second place in the Turkish League.

Revivo shocked all of Turkey during the 2002-03 season when he made the move to Fenerbache's archrival Galatasary, and became the center of a Turkish media frenzy. Revivo was in fine form throughout the season but could not help his new club catch up with runaway leaders Besiktas and Galatasary could only manage a second place finish.

Revivo made another surprising move in the off season. He announced a sudden return to Israel due to undisclosed "family pressure," and signed a one year contract with his home town club S.C Ashdod for a small fee. The forward scored 6 league goals in 2003-04 before his retirement in March.

Haim was an important member of Israel's national team as they attempted to qualify for the 2004 European Championships in Portugal. In their first qualification game against Malta, Revivo scored the team's second goal in a 2-0 victory. Haim scored against Slovenia in the 3-1 loss and against. Malta in a 2-2 draw, but Israel lost their chance to qualify for Euro 2004 on September 10, 2003.

Origin:
Ashdod, Israel

Career Dates:
Player: 1990-2004

Position:
Winger or supporting forward

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