Liel Abada
The highly-rated Israeli international midfielder completed his move to Paradise from Maccabi Petah Tikva in the summer of 2021 on a 5 year contract.
Since joining the Hoops, Abada has played a key role in the team’s five domestic trophy wins - the SPFL Championship and the Scottish League Cup twice, as well as the Scottish Cup in 22/23.
The double trophy winning season of 2021/21 was capped off by the winning of the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year (the first ever non-European, and the first Israeli footballer, to win the award).
The attacker has had some memorable performances, including the scoring of a hat trick and the assist of a further goal in a 9–0 away win against Dundee United in August 2022. This was followed up by the scoring of a double against Rangers in September during a 4–0 home win for the Hoops.
As a result of his fine form, Abada was highlighted by UEFA in January 2023 as one of the best young players in the continent who have the potential to take European football by storm in 2023.
Abada came through the youth ranks at his hometown team Maccabi Petah Tikva and made his first-team debut with the club in January 2019 aged 17. He has gone on to make a total of 76 appearances for the Israeli club, scoring 20 goals along the way.
The 21-year-old started his career as a right-winger, however, was deployed as a centre forward on occasion in the latter half of the season 2020/21 which saw in him fire home four goals in a seven game spell for Maccabi Petah Tikva. It capped an impressive season where he scored a total of 13 times in 38 appearances.
Abada’s performances in 2020/21 saw him earn him a call up to the senior Israeli squad and attracted interest from major European clubs.
On arriving in Glasgow, the young forward beamed: “It feels amazing to sign for a club like Celtic, this is a huge club and it's an honour to sign for Celtic."
"I know the fans are incredible. I have watched some Celtic games in Israel so I know how amazing these fans are and how special this stadium is."
COUNTRY BHOY
The teenage winger earned his first cap for the Israeli national side in June in a 3-1 friendly win against Montenegro and scored his first goal against Iceland during a 2022–23 UEFA Nations League match.
