Menacham Bello

Bello was a member of the Israeli national soccer team in the 1960s and 1970s and competed in a number of international matches. A defender, he finished his career with 41 caps (international appearances).

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Dec. 26, 1947

Career Highlights:
A left defender with Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel's top league, Bello made his international debut with the Israeli National team in 1965 at the age of 17. Over the next decade, he consistently performed well for Israel, as the national team competed in the World Cup, the Asian Games, and many other international matches.

In 1968, Bello was a member of the Israeli soccer team team that reached the quarterfinals and finished fifth at the Mexico City Olympics. Menacham played in all four games of the tournament. In the preliminary round, Israel defeated Ghana, 5-3, and El Salvador, 3-1, before falling to Hungary, 2-0. The team advanced to the quarterfinals and played Bulgaria to a 1-1 tie. On a coin toss, however, it was the Bulgarians, not the Israelis, who advanced to the semifinals, and Bulgaria eventually won the silver medal.

Two years later, Bello helped Israel reach the final stage of the 1970 World Cup competition, the only time the Israelis ever advanced that far. During the tournament, Israel lost to Uruguay, 2-0, tied Sweden, 1-1, and tied Italy, 0-0. They did not advance past the preliminary group. Bello appeared in one game in the World Cup, against Italy. He remained a member of the National Team for another five years, helping Israel reach the finals of the Asian Games, where they lost to Iran, 1-0.

Origin:
Israel