The Israeli Embassy in Nigeria has partnered with the Daniel Amokachi Foundation to launch the maiden Jerry Bet Halevi Cup, a grassroots football tournament aimed at rediscovering Nigeria’s street football culture while honouring the country’s first foreign national team coach, Israeli tactician Moshe “Jerry” Bet-Halevi.
Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, at the final of a 2-day street football in Abuja, said the initiative celebrates both history and diplomacy, noting that Bet-Halevi’s pioneering contribution to Nigerian football remains largely unknown to many.
“We are deeply honoured to launch the inaugural Jerry Bet Halevi Cup,” Freeman said at the event in Abuja.
“This tournament pays tribute to a remarkable man whose legacy is woven into the very fabric of Nigerian football. Jerry Bet Halevi… had the unique distinction of being the first head coach of the Nigerian national team. His passion, discipline, and vision helped shape the early foundations of the sport in this country.”
Freeman also described the competition as far more than a football tournament.
“It is a celebration of friendship, a recognition of shared history, and a testament to the strong and growing bond between Nigeria and Israel,” he said.
According to him, the sport continues to be one of the most powerful symbols of unity in a divided world.
“Fans do not care about differences in tribe, religion, or geography. In a world too often divided, football shows us what unity looks like.”
He also expressed gratitude to Daniel Amokachi and his Foundation, noting, “I want to express my profound gratitude to Daniel Amokachi and the Daniel Amokachi Foundation for their leadership, partnership, and unwavering support. We hope this will be the first of many initiatives that celebrate the rich football connections between our two great nations.”
Ambassador Freeman summed up the essence of the initiative, saying, “May this tournament inspire young players across Nigeria, strengthen our bilateral friendship, and remind us of the extraordinary impact one individual can make across borders and generations.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), Gbenga Elegbeleye, who attended the event, praised the organisers for their commitment to grassroots development.
He said, “You can see the combination of the entire Abuja Teams from Gwagwalada, Gwarinpa, Bwari, Lifecamp. It means the cities are really involved in this, and I’m quite very happy.”
Elegbeleye also applauded the financial motivation provided to participating teams, saying: “Every participating team gets N500,000. The winner gets another N1 million. The runner-up gets another N500,000. That’s some money.”
He said the event also brought renewed attention to a remarkable historical link between Nigeria and Israel.
“The very first coach of the Nigeria national team came from Israel. But surprisingly, Nigeria and Israel have never played a match before, whether friendly or competitive.
“We spoke with the ambassador… that there must be a friendly match between Nigeria and Israel. Very soon, something like that will happen,” Elegbeleye added.
He, however, noted that NPFL coaches did not attend because they were unaware of the tournament.
“I will implore Daniel to let us know in advance next season. Coaches need to know competitions like this are happening so they can come and look for players.”
For former Super Eagles forward Daniel Amokachi, the tournament is significant because it reconnects Nigerian football to its roots in street culture.
“This is an event that has been in the pipeline for a year and a half. We came up with the idea, celebrating the first-ever Nigerian foreign coach who is an Israeli.”
Amokachi explained that the organisers deliberately chose a red-sand pitch to reflect the environments where many Nigerian football legends developed.
“We didn’t look for an astroturf pitch or a grass pitch. Football is from the ghetto… and that’s where all of us from our generation came from.”
Amokachi argued that Nigeria’s greatest players, including current global star Victor Osimhen, owe their success to the hunger and resilience born from street football.
“When you find a player on the street, you find hunger. That’s why Victor Osimhen plays with so much love for the game; he knows how he struggled to get where he is.”
Amokachi, fondly referred to as ‘The Bull’ during his playing days, added that the tournament had already revealed promising talents.
“I’ve seen like 10 or 12 players just from yesterday and today that need polishing. With a platform like this, Nigerian football still has hope.”
He further revealed that discussions were underway to expand the tournament nationwide.
“It shouldn’t be only in Abuja. You can have teams from Bauchi, Kano, Rivers, Enugu, Anambra, Benue and the final ends up here.”
Amokachi also thanked the Israeli Embassy for supporting the project, saying, “This is what we need. It gave us the platform to see that Nigerian football still has quality, and that quality needs to be nurtured.”
The maiden Jerry Bet Halevi Cup drew teams from six Abuja area councils in a street-style 7-a-side contest that attracted hundreds of young players.
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