Welsh national team hosts Arab-Jewish soccer clinic

Following decisive win against Israel, Gareth Bale and other stars kick around for coexistence in Haifa

By ToI Staff 29 March 2015, 11:40 pm
Welsh Football Team plays coexistence football with Jewish and Arab children from northern communities in Israel. The children were handed Welsh football team shirts by the players and manager Chris Coleman. R-L: Joe Ledley, Chris Coleman and Gareth Bale. (photo credit: Kobi Wolf)

Wales’s national soccer team hosted a clinic for Jewish and Arab children in Haifa on Sunday following the team’s victory over Israel the previous night.

Twenty-three children ages 10-12 took part in a workshop developing ball skills with some of the visiting team’s biggest names, including Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Liverpool’s Joe Ledley.

The event, organized by the British Embassy in partnership with major youth football league the Equalizer, was meant to provide a forum for coexistence and interaction between Jewish and Arab Israeli children.

“Football is a great equalizer. We are proud to support this initiative that breaks down barriers between communities through football,” UK Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould said of the workshop. “I am delighted that the Welsh Football Association supported it during their visit to Israel. It sends a strong message.”

British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould meets Gareth Bale at a football coexistence event organised by the British Embassy and the Equalizer following the Wales National Football Team’s European Championship Qualifier in Israel. (photo credit: Kobi Wolf)

The Welsh team was coming off of a 3-0 shellacking of Israel at Samy Ofer stadium in Haifa on Saturday night in a European Championship qualifier.

Bale, the man of the match, provided his team with heroics, scoring two goals for Wales, with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey scoring the other.

read more: