View source for Avi Cohen

{{Short description|Israeli footballer (1956–2010)}}
{{About-distinguish|Avi Cohen (footballer, born 1956)|Avi Cohen (footballer, born 1962)}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Avi Cohen<br />אבי כהן
| image = Avi Cohen.jpg
| caption = Cohen in 1990
| fullname = Avraham Cohen
| birth_date = {{birth date|1956|11|14|df=y}}<ref name="LFC Profile">{{cite web |url=http://lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=284 |publisher=LFCHistory.net |title=Player Profile: Avi Cohen |access-date=26 December 2010 |archive-date=17 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617041736/http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=284 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Cairo]], Egypt
| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|12|29|1956|11|14|df=y}}<ref name="hhacfpdi">{{cite news|title=Israeli soccer giant Avi Cohen dies of injuries after motorcycle crash|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/sports/israeli-soccer-giant-avi-cohen-dies-of-injuries-after-motorcycle-crash-1.33403|newspaper=[[Haaretz]]|date=28 December 2010|access-date=29 December 2010}}</ref>
| death_place = [[Tel Aviv]], Israel
| position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| youthyears1 = 1966–1974
| youthclubs1 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| years1 = 1974–1979
| years2 = 1979–1981
| years3 = 1981–1987
| years4 = 1987–1988
| years5 = 1988–1990
| years6 = 1991
| clubs1 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| clubs2 = [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]
| clubs3 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| clubs4 = [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
| clubs5 = [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]]
| clubs6 = [[Maccabi Netanya F.C.|Maccabi Netanya]]
| caps1 = 134
| goals1 = 10
| caps2 = 18
| goals2 = 1
| caps3 = 158
| goals3 = 4
| caps4 = 7
| goals4 = 0
| caps5 = 40
| goals5 = 1
| caps6 = 3
| goals6 = 0
| totalcaps = 360
| totalgoals = 16
| nationalyears1 = 1976–1988
| nationalteam1 = [[Israel national football team|Israel]]
| nationalcaps1 = 51
| nationalgoals1 = 3<ref name="npng">He played another 12 games against International Olympic teams and 1 against Amateurs team.</ref>
| manageryears1 = 1990–1992
| manageryears2 = 1992–1993
| manageryears3 = 1993–1994
| manageryears4 = 1994–1995
| manageryears5 = 1995–1998
| manageryears6 = 1998–1999
| manageryears7 = 1999–2000
| manageryears8 = 2001
| managerclubs1 = [[Maccabi Netanya F.C.|Maccabi Netanya]]
| managerclubs2 = [[Beitar Tel Aviv F.C.|Beitar Tel Aviv]]
| managerclubs3 = [[Maccabi Yavne F.C.|Maccabi Yavne]]
| managerclubs4 = [[Maccabi Ironi Ashdod F.C.|Ironi Ashdod]]
| managerclubs5 = [[Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C.|Hapoel Kfar Saba]]
| managerclubs6 = [[Hapoel Ashkelon F.C.|Hapoel Ashkelon]]
| managerclubs7 = [[Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C.|Hapoel Kfar Saba]]
| managerclubs8 = [[Maccabi Herzliya F.C.|Maccabi Herzliya]] 
}}
'''Avraham''' "'''Avi'''" '''Cohen''' ({{langx|he|אבי כהן}}; 14 November 1956 – 29 December 2010)<ref name="hhacfpdi"/> was an Israeli [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Defender (association football)|defender]], and a manager. He was best known for his spells playing for two British clubs: [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] in England and [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] in Scotland.<ref name="LFC Profile"/> After retirement from active football and management, he was the chairman of the Israel Professional Footballers Association for over five years until he was killed in a motorcycle crash.<ref name="hhacfpe"/><ref name="STV">{{cite news|url=http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/217439-ex-rangers-star-avi-cohen-dies-following-motorbike-crash/|title=Ex-Rangers star Avi Cohen dies following motorbike crash|date=28 December 2010|work=STV|access-date=28 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314030154/http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/217439-ex-rangers-star-avi-cohen-dies-following-motorbike-crash/|archive-date=14 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> after his death [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]] retired the number 5 that he formerly wore.

==Career==
Cohen was born in [[Cairo, Egypt]], and was Jewish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/dec/30/avi-cohen-obituary|title=Avi Cohen obituary|date=30 December 2010|website=The Guardian}}</ref> He moved to Israel as a youngster,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/israeli-soccer-icon-avi-cohen-declared-brain-dead-20101228-102525-603.html|title=Israeli soccer icon Avi Cohen declared brain dead|website=sg.news.yahoo.com|date=28 December 2010 }}</ref> and began his playing career with [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.|Maccabi Tel Aviv]], before joining Liverpool for a fee of [[pound sterling|£]]200,000 ([[United States dollar|$]]450,000) in July 1979, and became the first [[Israel]]i to play in England.<ref name="LFC Profile"/><ref name="hhacfpe">{{cite news|title=Avi Cohen, first Israeli to play in England, critically hurt in crash|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/avi-cohen-first-israeli-to-play-in-england-critically-hurt-in-crash-1.331727|newspaper=[[Haaretz]]|date=21 December 2010|access-date=28 December 2010}}</ref> He struggled to establish himself as a regular at [[Anfield]] and was released in November 1981, rejoining Maccabi.<ref name="LFC Profile"/> On 20 September 1980, Cohen stirred up controversy when he decided to play in Liverpool's away fixture versus [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]], which fell on the [[Jew]]ish holiday of [[Yom Kippur]]. Liverpool drew with Southampton 2–2 in front of 24,085 spectators and Cohen was lambasted by the Israeli media for playing.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sport on Yom Kippur? Is there such a thing|url=http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3606681,00.html|newspaper=[[Yedioth Ahronoth]]|date=8 October 2008|access-date=11 April 2009 |language=he}}</ref> He did not play enough matches to receive a winner's medal for either the first division League Championship or the European Cup. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1987, when he had a brief spell under former Liverpool teammate [[Graeme Souness]] at [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]],<ref name="LFC Profile"/> before ending his career with [[Maccabi Netanya F.C.|Maccabi Netanya]].

He also played for the [[Israel national football team|Israel national team]], making his debut on 19 July 1976 during the [[Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics|1976 Summer Olympics]] in a 0–0 draw against [[Guatemala national football team|Guatemala]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eng.football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamPlayerDetails.aspx?PLAYER_ID=80511&NATIONAL_TEAM_ID=3|title=Cohen Avi|publisher=[[Israel Football Association]]|access-date=30 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022062700/http://eng.football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamPlayerDetails.aspx?PLAYER_ID=80511&NATIONAL_TEAM_ID=3|archive-date=22 October 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://eng.football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamGameDetails.aspx?GAME_ID=321&DISPLAY_HOME_TABLE|title=Israel – Guatemala|publisher=[[Israel Football Association]]|access-date=30 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601162406/http://eng.football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamGameDetails.aspx?GAME_ID=321&DISPLAY_HOME_TABLE|archive-date=1 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 9 October 1984, Cohen scored his first goal against [[Greece national football team|Greece]] in a 2–2 friendly draw.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eng.football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamGameDetails.aspx?GAME_ID=193&DISPLAY_HOME_TABLE|title=Greece – Israel|publisher=Israel Football Association|access-date=30 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922195911/http://eng.football.org.il/NationalTeam/Pages/NationalTeamGameDetails.aspx?GAME_ID=193&DISPLAY_HOME_TABLE|archive-date=22 September 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was capped 51 times, scoring 3 goals.<ref name="npng" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/isra-intlp-cohen_avi.html |title=Avi Cohen International Games and Goals |publisher=[[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|RSSSF]] |access-date=26 December 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205105312/http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/isra-intlp-cohen_avi.html |archive-date=5 February 2010 }}</ref> His son, [[Tamir Cohen|Tamir]], is also a professional footballer who plays for [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|Maccabi Haifa]] in the [[Israeli Premier League]] and the [[Israel national football team|Israel national team]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://one.co.il/Article/184650.html|title= תמיר כהן חתם ל-4 שנים|date=8 August 2011|publisher=ONE|access-date=8 August 2011}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Cohen was married to Dorit Cohen and the father of three, including the [[association football|football]] player [[Tamir Cohen]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Soccer's Avi Cohen remains in critical condition|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/soccer-s-avi-cohen-remains-in-critical-condition-1.332339|newspaper=Haaretz|date=23 December 2010|access-date=28 December 2010}}</ref> In addition, Cohen was the [[brother-in-law]] of former football player [[Vicky Peretz]] and the [[uncle]] of Peretz sons – [[Adi Peretz|Adi]] and [[Omer Peretz]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Vicky Peretz: Praying for a miracle, everything is in the hand of God |url=http://www.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?folderid=64&docid=91262&lang=HE|newspaper=Haaretz|date=23 December 2010 |access-date=28 December 2010|language=he}}</ref>

In 2008, he participated in the Israeli reality version of ''[[Rokdim Im Kokhavim#Season 4|Dancing with the Stars]]'' and was the fifth to be eliminated.

==Death==
On 20 December 2010, Cohen was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash. He was taken to Tel Aviv's [[Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center|Ichilov Hospital]], where he was immediately taken into surgery. On 28 December 2010, the hospital declared that Cohen was [[brain death|brain dead]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The hospital: Cohen is now in brain death state|url=http://www.one.co.il/Article/171520.html |publisher=One|date=28 December 2010|access-date=28 December 2010|language=he}}</ref> His brain death was confirmed by his son Tamir later the same day.<ref name="STV"/> Paying tribute to Cohen, [[Kenny Dalglish]] said "Avi was a lovely man who will be remembered fondly by everyone at Liverpool who knew him. He quickly integrated himself into the football club when he joined us and spent a lot of time learning English which really made him popular. He was well liked by all the lads and although he didn't spend a long time at the club, he certainly left his mark and no-one will forget how he helped us win the league against Aston Villa. My thoughts and those of everyone connected to the club are with Avi's family." [[Ally McCoist]] said "we knew his situation was bad but never for a second did we think it would come to this" before going on to say it was "so sad to hear that he has passed away."<ref name="The Daily Telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/8228566/Liverpool-great-Kenny-Dalglish-leads-tributes-to-former-team-mate-Avi-Cohen.html|title=Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish leads tributes to former team-mate Avi Cohen|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=28 December 2010|location=London|date=28 December 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110123004918/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/8228566/Liverpool-great-Kenny-Dalglish-leads-tributes-to-former-team-mate-Avi-Cohen.html| archive-date= 23 January 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>

[[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] marked the death of Cohen with a period of applause before their [[Premier League]] match against [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] on 29 December 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12089477 |title=Liverpool FC to mark death of former player Avi Cohen|date=29 December 2010 |work=BBC News|access-date=5 January 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101230092334/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12089477|archive-date=30 December 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> The club also played a friendly game against the local Jewish community in honor of Avi. They competed for the Avi Cohen cup. Liverpool Legends team won 1–0.

On 24 April 2011, his son Tamir, of [[Bolton Wanderers]], paid a tribute to his late father after scoring the winner against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and celebrating with a printed T-shirt with his father's face on it.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9462367.stm|title=Bolton 2 - 1 Arsenal|date=24 April 2011|work=BBC|access-date=24 April 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110425040935/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9462367.stm| archive-date=25 April 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1. || 9 October 1984 || [[Olympic Stadium (Athens)|Olympic Stadium]], [[Athens]], Greece || {{fb|GRE}} || 2–2 || Draw || [[Friendly match|Friendly]]
|-
| 2. || 8 September 1985 || [[Ramat Gan Stadium]], [[Ramat Gan]], [[Israel]] || {{fb|Chinese Taipei}} || 5–0 || Win || [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)|1986 FIFA World Cup qual.]]
|-
| 3. || 20 October 1985	|| [[Olympic Park Stadium (Melbourne)|Olympic Park]], [[Melbourne]], Australia || {{fb|AUS}} || 1–1 || Draw || [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)|1986 FIFA World Cup qual.]]
|-
| colspan="15"|<small>''Correct as of 21 January 2017''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=3724|title=Avi Cohen, footballer|website=eu-football.info}}</ref></small>
|-
|}

==Honours==

===Player===
'''Maccabi Tel Aviv'''
*[[Israeli Premier League|Liga Leumit First Division]]: [[1976–77 Liga Leumit|1976–77]], [[1978–79 Liga Leumit|1978–79]]
*[[Israel State Cup|State Cup]]: 1976–77, 1986–87
*[[Israel Super Cup]]: [[1988 Israel Super Cup|1988]]

'''Liverpool'''
*[[FA Community Shield|Charity Shield]]: [[1979 FA Charity Shield|1979]], [[1980 FA Charity Shield|1980]]

'''Rangers'''
*[[Scottish League Cup|League Cup]]: [[1987 Scottish League Cup Final|1987–88]]

===Individual===
*[[Footballer of the Year – Israel|Israel Player of the Year]]: 1978–79<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/israpoy.html|title=Israel – Player of the Year|publisher=[[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|RSSSF]]|access-date=30 December 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110208111555/http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/israpoy.html| archive-date= 8 February 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>
*[[Israeli Football Hall of Fame|Member of the Israeli Football Hall of Fame]]

==See also==
*[[List of Jews in sports#Football (Association; Soccer)|List of select Jewish football (association; soccer) players]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://injurylawguidecalifornia.org injurylawguidecalifornia.org Accident Attorneys California]
* [http://www.thisisanfield.com/columnists/2007/07/forgotten-heroes-avi-cohen/ Thisisanfield.com Forgotten Heroes]
*[http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=284 Profile at lfchistory.net]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100205105312/http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/isra-intlp-cohen_avi.html RSSSF international career statistics]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120407192547/http://www.rsssf.com/players/ec1winningsquads.html European Champions Cup/UEFA Champions League Winning Squads]

{{Israeli Footballer of the Year}}
{{Israel squad 1976 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Avi}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Jewish Israeli sportspeople]]
[[Category:Israeli men's footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers from Ramat Gan]]
[[Category:Men's association football fullbacks]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Israel men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Israeli expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Israeli football chairmen and investors]]
[[Category:Liga Leumit players]]
[[Category:Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. players]]
[[Category:Liverpool F.C. players]]
[[Category:Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Maccabi Netanya F.C. players]]
[[Category:Motorcycle road incident deaths]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Israel]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in Israel]]
[[Category:Egyptian emigrants to Israel]]
[[Category:Israeli football managers]]
[[Category:Beitar Tel Aviv F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Maccabi Yavne F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Maccabi Ironi Ashdod F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Hapoel Kfar Saba F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Hapoel Ashkelon F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Maccabi Herzliya F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland]]
[[Category:Israeli expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Israeli expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]]
[[Category:Israeli Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Israeli Footballer of the Year recipients]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:20th-century Israeli sportsmen]]