Eli Dasa is returning to Israeli soccer after seven years abroad. Maccabi Haifa has officially announced that the veteran right-back has agreed to a two-year deal and will join the club immediately. The 33-year-old will be playing for his third Israeli club, following previous stints with Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Dasa had also been in talks with Hapoel Beersheba but ultimately opted for Maccabi Haifa's offer. He became a free agent after his contract with Dutch club NEC Nijmegen expired at the end of last season. Although he had hoped to secure a new deal in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, he eventually decided to bring his search to an end and return to Israel.
In recent years, Dasa has captained the Israel national team, earning 81 appearances for his country. Regarded as one of Israel's leading footballers of the past decade, he also played a key role at Vitesse and Dynamo Moscow after leaving Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2019. During his final season with Maccabi Tel Aviv, in 2018/19, he won the Israeli Premier League title.
Eli Dasa's career
Beitar Jerusalem (2010–2015): 122 appearances
Maccabi Tel Aviv (2015–2019): 139 appearances
Vitesse (2019–2022): 90 appearances
Dynamo Moscow (2022–2025): 78 appearances
NEC Nijmegen (2025–2026): 26 appearances
Figures do not include Toto Cup matches.
Israeli Premier League: 213 appearances
Dutch Eredivisie: 93 appearances
Russian Premier League: 62 appearances