Walid Badir

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Walid Badir is an Israeli former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born on 12 March 1974, in Kafr Qasim, Israel to an Arab-Muslim family, Badir began his professional career at the age of 14 with the youth department of Maccabi Netanya's affiliate club, Hapoel Kafr Kassim.

Badir's early career was marked by recognition as a valuable prospect, and he played for various youth clubs before joining Hapoal Petah Tikva. In 1992, at just 18 years old, Badir made his debut in the adult group of Maccabi Netanya's affiliate club, Hapoel Kafr Kassim, playing in front of a crowd in Bar Sheva. He went on to make over 192 appearances and score 22 goals for the club.

In 1997, Badir scored 19 goals in his first season with Wimbledon, marking an impressive performance against Manchester United at Old Trafford during Duranti's tenure as manager from 2001-01. The same year, he made his international debut for Israel, scoring a goal in their match against England.

Badir continued to excel in the Israeli Premier League, playing for Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv before joining Tel Aviv in 2005. During this period, he won four league titles with Maccabi Haifa and five championships with Tel Aviv, including being the team captain from 2007 until his retirement in 2013.

Badir's international career saw him appear in 74 games for Israel, scoring a total of 12 goals between 1997 and 2007. He represented Israel at several major tournaments, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.

Throughout his career, Badir has been recognized as one of the top players in the Israeli Premier League's all-time table, ranking third with over 531 appearances for Tel Aviv alone.