Ofir Marciano

Ofir Meir Marciano (or Martziano,[1][2] Hebrew: אופיר מרציאנו; born 7 October 1989)[3] is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Dutch Eredivisie club Feyenoord and the Israel national team. He started his career with Israeli side Ashdod and has since played for Belgian club Mouscron and Scottish club Hibernian.

Ofir Marciano
Marciano playing for Hibernian in 2020
Personal information
Full name Ofir Meir Marciano
Date of birth (1989-10-07) 7 October 1989
Place of birth Ashdod, Israel
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Feyenoord
Number 21
Youth career
1999–2008 Ashdod
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2017 Ashdod 139 (0)
2015–2016 → Royal Excel Mouscron (loan) 6 (0)
2016–2017 → Hibernian (loan) 21 (0)
2017–2021 Hibernian 105 (0)
2021– Feyenoord 8 (0)
National team‡
2014– Israel 36 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 April 2022
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2022

Early and personal life

Marciano was born and raised in Ashdod, Israel, to a family of Sephardic Jewish descent.[4][5]

He married Israeli model Shelly (née Regev) Marciano in 2016.[6] They resided in Musselburgh, Scotland,[7] and have a son named Sun.[8]

Club career

Ashdod

Marciano signed for Ashdod in 2008, and made over 130 Israeli Premier League appearances for the Israeli club.

Mouscron

On 7 July 2015, Marciano signed a season-long loan deal with top division Belgian First Division A club Mouscron.[9]

Hibernian

In August 2016, he signed for Scottish club Hibernian on loan for the 2016–17 season,[10] although regulations held up his eligibility to play for the club.[11] Marciano said that he was sold on the move by fellow Israeli footballer Nir Bitton, who plays for Celtic.[12] Following a three-week delay, it was announced on 26 August 2016 that Marciano had obtained his work permit.[13] He made his debut for the club on the following day, in a 4–0 win against Greenock Morton.[14] Marciano made 21 league appearances as Hibernian won the 2016–17 Scottish Championship, eventually helping his club earn their promotion to the top division of the Scottish Premiership.[15]

In June 2017, he signed a four-year deal with Hibernian.[16] Marciano was replaced in the team by Ross Laidlaw in September, missing one game due to observing Yom Kippur.[17] Marciano regained his place, but in June 2018 he underwent surgery on a finger injury.[18][19] This caused him to miss matches early in the 2018–19 season, which led to Hibs signing Hungarian goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.[18] Marciano resumed training in October 2018 and subsequently regained the starting position with Hibs.[20]

Chris Maxwell replaced Marciano as first choice early in the 2019–20 season,[21] but the Israeli regained his place during December 2019.[22] Marciano continued as first choice during the 2020–21 season, but advised the club in March 2021 that he would not sign a new contract – eventually finishing that 2020–21 Scottish Premiership season with Hibernian in the 3rd place, as well as making over 120 appearances for the Scottish club.[23]

Feyenoord

Marciano signed a two-year contract with for Dutch top division Eredivisie club Feyenoord in June 2021.[24][25]

On 19 August 2021, Marciano made his debut playing for Feyenoord during the first leg of a qualifiying play-off round match of the UEFA Europa Conference League, that ended in a 5–0 home win against Swedish side Elfsborg for his team.[26] As well as playing in the second leg against Swedish side Elfsborg, that ended in a 3–1 away win for his Dutch side.[27] On 25 November 2021, he also played for Feyenoord during one Group Stage match against Czech side Slavia Prague, that ended in a 2–2 away draw.[28]

In March and April 2022, Marciano has managed to carry his Dutch team Feyenoord from the early knock-out phase matches – and all the way to the first ever Semi-Finals of the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League – which was at least one stage beyond any other fellow Dutch club (PSV, Vitesse, and AZ) that took place in this European tournament.[29] On 28 April 2022, Marciano helped Feyenoord win their first leg against French club Marseille, in a home match that ended in a 3–2 win for his Dutch side, during the Semi-Finals of the 2021–22 UEFA Conference League.[30]

International career
Marciano playing for Israel at the 2016 UEFA Euro qualifiers

Marciano made his international debut on 10 October 2014, as Israel won 2–1 against Cyprus, during a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying away match.[31] Marciano was recalled to the Israel squad in November 2016,[32] but had to withdraw after suffering a knee injury in training.[33] Marciano was recalled to the national squad in March 2019,[20] and played as Israel's on-and-off first choice goalkeeper since the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers. He then established his permanent first position for Israel all throughout the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League and the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA).[21]

On 29 March 2020, Marciano was given the captain armband of the senior Israel national team (after first captain Bibras Natkho was substituted out right after the first half), in a home friendly match against Romania that ended in a 2–2 draw.[34]

Career statistics

Club
As of 15 May 2021[35]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ashdod 2009–10[36] Israeli Premier League 20––—20
2010–11[36] Israeli Premier League 90––—90
2011–12[36] Israeli Premier League 350––—350
2012–13[36] Israeli Premier League 320–30—350
2013–14[36] Israeli Premier League 28010–—290
2014–15[36] Israeli Premier League 3302050—400
Total 13903080001500
Royal Excel Mouscron 2015–16[36] Pro League 60–——60
Hibernian (loan) 2016–17[37] Scottish Championship 21050002[lower-alpha 1]0280
Hibernian 2017–18[38] Scottish Premiership 3401040—390
2018–19[39] Scottish Premiership 2003000—230
2019–20[40][note 1] Scottish Premiership 1905020—260
2020–21[41][note 1] Scottish Premiership 3200030—350
Total 10509090001230
Career total 2700170170203060
  1. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Israel[42] 201430
201570
201710
201950
202070
202140
Total270

Honours

Hibernian

Notes
  1. One appearance in the 2019–20 Scottish Cup was in a match delayed until October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

See also

References
  1. "Ofir Marciano :: Ofir Meir Marciano :: Feyenoord".
  2. "Ofir Martziano Biography | ESPN".
  3. "Israeli Sports", Jewish Sports Review, Vol. 9, No. 11, Issue 107, p. 21, January/February 2015.
  4. "S'appenin' Bitton? Ofir Marciano looking forward to facing close friend". 3 February 2019.
  5. "Hibs 'keeper on the big money moves he rejected to stay in Edinburgh". 25 April 2019.
  6. https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4818800,00.html
  7. "Supermodel wife of Hibs keeper Ofir Marciano has fallen in love with Edinburgh". Edinburgh Evening News. 4 December 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  8. Regev Marciano, Shelly (9 June 2017). "MODEL❤️️ SHELLY REGEV MARCIANO on Instagram: "Feeling blessed 👼🏻It's a BOY 💙🙌🏻"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  9. "New Ligioner: Marciano signed to Mouscron-Péruwelz". One. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  10. Temple, Alan (3 August 2016). "Hibs snap up Israel international goalkeeper Ofir Marciano ahead of Championship curtain-raiser". Deadline News. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  11. Hardie, David (16 August 2016). "Ross Laidlaw: I won't give up Hibs gloves without a fight". Edinburgh Evening News. Johnston Press. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  12. Haggerty, Anthony (27 August 2016). "Hibs stopper Ofir Marciano: Celtic star Nir Bitton sold me on a move to Scotland". Daily Record. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  13. Johnstone, Darren (26 August 2016). "Hibs keeper Ofir Marciano passes English test - but admits he cannot understand his team-mates". Deadline News. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  14. Mitchell, Paul (27 August 2016). "Hibernian 4-0 Greenock Morton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  15. "Hibernian 3–0 Queen of the South". BBC Sport. 15 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  16. "MARCIANO JOINS ON PERMANENT DEAL". www.hibernianfc.co.uk.
  17. Davie, Scott (23 September 2017). "Ross County 0–1 Hibernian". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  18. Hardie, David (14 July 2018). "Hibs goalkeeper Ofir Marciano facing another month out of action". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  19. Hardie, David (15 August 2018). "Ofir Marciano played through pain as Hibs chased Europa spot". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  20. McPartlin, Patrick (13 March 2019). "Ofir Marciano named in Israel squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  21. McPartlin, Patrick (16 October 2019). "Ofir Marciano speaks to Israeli media on losing No.1 spot at Hibs". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  22. Brown, Anthony (12 December 2019). "Hibs' curious case of the three goalkeepers - who will take the No.1 spot long-term?". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  23. Forsyth, Paul (12 March 2021). "Ofir Marciano will leave Hibs this summer". The Times. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  24. "Jake Doyle-Hayes: Hibs sign former St Mirren midfielder amid Dundee Utd interest". BBC Sport. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  25. "Hibernian: Ofir Marciano switches to Feyenoord 'to test myself at the highest level'". BBC Sport. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  26. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/08/19/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/feyenoord-rotterdam-nv/idrottsforening-elfsborg/3603339/
  27. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/08/26/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/idrottsforening-elfsborg/feyenoord-rotterdam-nv/3603635/
  28. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/11/25/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/sk-slavia-praha/feyenoord-rotterdam-nv/3633746/
  29. https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferenceleague/fixtures-results/#/rd/2001502-1
  30. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2022/04/28/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/feyenoord-rotterdam-nv/olympique-de-marseille/3769137/
  31. "Cyprus 1-2 Israel". European Football. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  32. Pilcher, Ross (7 November 2016). "Hibs' Ofir Marciano to miss Falkirk clash due to Israel call". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  33. Brown, Anthony (10 November 2016). "Hibs keeper Ofir Marciano sent for MRI scan after knee injury". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  34. https://sports.walla.co.il/item/3497491
  35. Ofir Marciano at Soccerbase
  36. Ofir Marciano at Soccerway. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  37. "Games played by Ofir Marciano in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  38. "Games played by Ofir Marciano in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  39. "Games played by Ofir Marciano in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  40. "Games played by Ofir Marciano in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  41. "Games played by Ofir Marciano in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  42. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ofir Martziano". www.national-football-teams.com.
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