Israel has a long list of world-class football players

Saul Kamionsky, Johannesburg

To claim that Yossi Benayoun and Ronny Rosenthal were not world-class does not reflect their talent as players.

Benayoun was so good, all the top English Premier League teams wanted him. He played for Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal – a feat that surely means he was more than a half-decent player. He also won the UEFA Europa league with Chelsea, and made 231 appearances in the Premier League.

Rosenthal, who made 118 appearances in the Premier League, was a star for both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

There was also Tal Ben-Haim, who played for the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, and made 189 appearances in the Premier League.

Israel, therefore, has produced a number of world-class players.