According to a survey which had been conducted in 2010, Maccabi Haifa has the biggest amount of fans of all the teams in Israel, approximately about 25. 8 % of Israeli football fans.

Another survey had been conducted in March 2012 by Yedioth confirmed that Maccabi Haifa is the most popular team among Israeli football fans ( 28 %), female football fans ( 33 %) and Arab citizens of Israel.

It was of huge symbolic value for Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, and for many Israelis who ordinarily had no interest in basketball.

Maccabi fans did not have to wait too much for another big title, as it all clicked in the 2003 – 04 season.

A survey conducted in March 2012 by Yedioth showed that Maccabi Tel Aviv is the second most popular team among Israeli football fans ( 23 %).

After impressing in pre-season, Pennant made his Liverpool debut against Maccabi Haifa in a Champions ' League 3rd round qualifying match at Anfield where he went on to win the fans ' Star Man award.

As a former Maccabi player he was well respected by the fans.

The fans were outraged and for two years they came in black shirts as a sign of grief and holding signs saying: " 8 is in our blood, Avi Nimni will always be in Maccabi ".

It was of huge symbolic value for Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, and for many Israelis who ordinarily had no interest in basketball.

Maccabi Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa, and Hapoel Tel Aviv have competed in the UEFA Champions League, and Hapoel Tel Aviv reached the Quarterfinal in the UEFA Cup.

Maccabi Los Angeles of California and Bethlehem Steel of Pennsylvania have both won the cup a record five times, while Greek American AA of New York and Seattle Sounders FC are tied for the record for most consecutive cup victories at three.

Most Maccabi head coaches have been former players of the club.

Yugoslavia was a Non-Aligned country that supported Palestine and with which Israel did not have diplomatic relations, and the El Al plane that brought the Maccabi Tel Aviv players over to it for the game was the first Israeli plane ever allowed to land there.

Ariel McDonald 1999 – 2002, Anthony Parker 2000 – 02 and 2003 – 06, Nate Huffman 1999 – 2002, Šarūnas Jasikevičius 2003 – 05, Maceo Baston 2003 – 06, Derrick Sharp 1996 – 2011, and Tal Burstein 2000 – 09 and 2010-today have been recognised as European All-Stars for their accomplishments with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Maccabi have won the championship and the cup in the same season ( referred to as winning the " double ") six times, and are the only club in Israel never to have played outside the top division.

Baskonia's arrival to its first Final Four in 2005 couldn ’ t have been louder, as the team upset favored host CSKA Moscow in the semifinals, but couldn ’ t overcome defending champ Maccabi in the title game.

The 1933 – 34 saw the club win the double, finishing as champions of the Palestine League, winning every match, the only Israeli club to have achieved such a feat, and winners of the cup, beating local rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv 3 – 2 in the final.

Yugoslavia was a Communist country with which Israel did not have diplomatic relations, and the El Al plane that brought the Maccabi Tel Aviv players over to it for the game was the first Israeli plane ever allowed to land there.

In April 2012, Cruyff signed an agreement with the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv on becoming their new Sports Director at the end of the 2011 – 12 season.

* Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israeli sports club best known for its basketball and football ( soccer ) teams

Maccabi Haifa is well known for its green uniforms.

The JC sponsors the Jewish Sunday league system in London, known as the Maccabi Football League.

Johan Jordi Cruijff ( born 9 February 1974 in Amsterdam ), also known as Jordi Cruyff ( both forms are acceptable in Dutch ), is a Dutch former footballer and currently Maccabi Tel Aviv general manager of football.

Under Shahar's management, Maccabi Haifa enjoyed financial stability and professional working regulations on a par with European football clubs ' standards.

* Won 2 championships with Maccabi Haifa.

Many of them members of the Maccabi sports club and some of them veterans of the Jewish Legion, their month of training largely consisted of calisthenics and hand to hand combat with sticks.

On 13 April 2008, it was announced that Matthäus signed with Israeli side Maccabi Netanya to coach the club from the beginning of the 2008 – 09 season.

Maccabi Tel Aviv has always provided the national team with a large number of players.

Once in the 2004 Final Four, Maccabi turned to record breaking with an outstanding 118-point title game performance.

Center Nikola Vujčić stayed with Maccabi for two more years playing one more final in the 2007 – 08 season before leaving the team and signing a multi million dollar deal with Olympiacos Piraeus.

Israeli legends Derrick Sharp and Tal Burstein remained with Maccabi and continue to play for their team to this very day.

The momentum ended with a road loss at Regal FC Barcelona at the start of the Top 16, but Maccabi surged again with three straight wins to reach the playoffs.

In June 2011, guard Jon Scheyer signed a two-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, worth a reported $ 450, 000.

On August 3, 2011, NBA point guard Jordan Farmar of the New Jersey Nets signed a one-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, in the wake of the 2011 NBA lockout.

Israeli NBA forward Omri Casspi signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv in November.

Nigmatullin signed with Israeli club, Maccabi Ahi Nazareth for the 2009 – 10 season.

Davidovich played all of his career in Maccabi Haifa and considered a " symbol " of the club along with the veteran captain Yaniv Katan.

* 2000 – 2001: Won the championship with Maccabi Haifa, conceding only 28 goals ( the lowest in that season ).

* 2003 – 2004: Won the championship with Maccabi Haifa and chosen by player, press and coaches as the MVP of the season.

* 2009: First time in the UEFA Champions League with Maccabi Haifa.

That same year, the first Tel Aviv derby was played, with Maccabi winning 3 – 0.

Maccabi also defeated the American Soccer League team in Brooklyn and Philadelphia on their home ground 1 – 0, and also played in Canada, where they drew 1 – 1 with Toronto All-Stars.

In 1946, the league was still suspended but the State Cup returned with Maccabi beating Hapoel Rishon LeZion 6 – 0 on aggregate in the final.

During the 1980s the club failed to win the championship, although they won back-to-back State Cups in 1987 and 1988 with wins over Maccabi Haifa and local rivals Hapoel.