Players from Israel’s national soccer team embracing during the country’s match against
Colombia in the 2023 Under-20 World Cup in Argentina. Photo: Eva Cabrera/Ulan/Pool / Latin America News Agency

i24 News – Israel’s under-20 (U20) national soccer team won third place on Sunday night, after defeating South Korea 3-1. They previously fell to Uruguay 1-0 in a semifinals match.

The Israeli team already made local soccer history when it defeated Brazil 3-2 in the quarter-finals, after an epic match that went into overtime. The young players leave Argentina with their names etched into the country’s soccer history books.

For the first time, the U20 squad recorded a FIFA World Cup match win for Israel, then a knockout stage qualification, followed by a knockout stage win at the senior or youth level, and now they’ve brought home a medal.

Israel win the third-place play-off! 🥉#U20WC

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 11, 2023

The sensational quarter-final game had the Brazilians enter as the overwhelming favorite. Back-and-forth scoring by the two teams kept the game suspenseful.. Brazil had the lead one minute into overtime, but Israel quickly equalized. In the 105th minute, Dor Turgeman faced off with goalkeeper Kaique Pereira, and made the game-winning goal.

“Congratulations to the Israeli youth soccer team for a historic achievement – third place in the World Cup! You are ending a wonderful and exciting journey in the Mondialeto and we are all proud of you” said Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, as the first to comment on the historic win.

כל הכבוד לנבחרת ישראל בכדורגל לנוער על הישג היסטורי – מקום שלישי בגביע העולם! אתם מסיימים מסע מופלא ומרגש במונדיאליטו וכולנו גאים בכם 🇮🇱⚽️

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) June 11, 2023

Israel’s soccer Cinderella story came to a close tonight, with a lion’s share of world cup firsts, as well as impressive in-game stats, for possession, shots, and passes.