Sheran Yeini

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Sheran Yeini

| image = Yeini.JPG

| upright = 1.2

| caption = Yeini at a Maccabi Tel Aviv press conference in 2013

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|12|8|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tel Aviv, Israel

| height = 1.77 m

| position = Defensive midfielder, centre-back, right-back

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 1993–2004

| youthclubs1 = Maccabi Tel Aviv

| years1 = 2004–2015

| clubs1 = Maccabi Tel Aviv

| caps1 = 232

| goals1 = 14

| years2 = 2015–2017

| clubs2 = Vitesse

| caps2 = 38

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2017–2024

| clubs3 = Maccabi Tel Aviv

| caps3 = 258

| goals3 = 5

| totalcaps = 528

| totalgoals = 20

| nationalyears1 = 2007–2008

| nationalteam1 = Israel U21

| nationalcaps1 = 10

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2013–2020

| nationalteam2 = Israel

| nationalcaps2 = 32

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Sheran Yeini (sometimes Sherran or Shiran,{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurosport.com/football/sherran-yeini_prs168409/person.shtml|title = Sherran Yeini - Player Profile - Football}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/bio/_/id/166947/shiran-yeini|title = Shiran Yeini Biography}} {{langx|he|שרן ייני}}; born 8 December 1986) is an Israeli former professional footballer who spent most of his career with Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Tel Aviv, also captaining the side, and had a two-season stint with Eredivisie club Vitesse. At international level, he made 32 appearances for the Israel national team, which he also captained. Throughout his career he has played several defensive positions including defensive midfielder, centre-back, and both full-back positions.{{Cite news|url=https://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/en/2015/10/in-goal-tal-ben-chaim-vs-sheran-yeini/|title=In Goal- Tal Ben Chaim vs. Sheran Yeini - Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club|date=23 October 2015|work=Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en-US}}

Early and personal life

Yeini was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, to a family of Ashkenazi Jewish (Russian-Jewish and Polish-Jewish) descent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/en/2015/05/sheran-yeinis-special-press-conference/|title = Sheran Yeini's special press Conference|date = 27 May 2015}}{{Cite web|url=http://sport1.maariv.co.il/israeli-soccer/Ligat-Haal/Article-784679|title = ייני: אם נסיים במקום השני ונירק דם, גולדהאר יהיה מבסוט|date = 14 July 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.maccabi-tlv.co.il/en/2017/04/maccabis-emotional-encounter-holocaust-survivor/|title = Maccabi's Emotional Encounter with a Holocaust Survivor|date = 24 April 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-35-years-israeli-national-soccer-team-returns-to-new-york/|title = After 35 years, Israeli national soccer team returns to New York|website = The Times of Israel}} His late Israeli-born father Lior Yeini (1936–2021) was a prominent singer and actor in Israel during the 1960s and 1970s. His maternal great-aunt is Israeli singer Naomi Polani, granddaughter of Zionist pioneer Dr. Chaim Chissin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.maariv.co.il/culture/music/Article-492092|title = קריאת התרנגול: ליאור ייני נהנה מהתחייה המפתיעה ביוטיוב}}

He also holds a Polish passport, on account of his Ashkenazi Jewish (Polish-Jewish) ancestry, which eases the move to certain European football leagues.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

He married his Israeli girlfriend Shelly ({{nee}} Aviv) on 23 May 2015, a PhD in law; and they have a daughter and a son.{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/dr_frosting/ | title=‎שלי אביב ייני‎ (@dr_frosting) • Instagram photos and videos }}{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/sheranyeini/ | title=Sheran Yeini (@sheranyeini) • Instagram photos and videos }}

Club career

Yeini began his football career with Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth ranks.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

= Maccabi Tel Aviv =

Yeini made his professional debut with the senior squad of Maccabi Tel Aviv under the guidance of coach Nir Klinger for an Israeli Premier League match against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in 2004–05.

In the 2006–07 season, Yeini served on the opening squad for 10 matches due to injuries faced by the team's star midfielder at the time: Avi Nimni. Yeini showed great ability, which lead then Israel national under-21 team coach Guy Levi to summon him up for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship campaign, where Yeini appeared in 10 games.

In 2012–13, Yeini was named team captain. For the most part, he played at right-back and has become one of the most influential players on a team that won the Israeli Premier League championship after a ten-year drought. On 26 June 2013, Sheran Yeni's contract was extended for an additional four years.

In the 2013–14 season, Yeini continued to take a significant role with the team while participating in 29 league games and 42 official games in total, en route to winning a second consecutive state championship. During that season, Yeini reached his 200th Israeli Premier League game with the senior squad, while also becoming Maccabi Tel Aviv's record holder for most caps played in European Competition. By the end of the 2014–15 season, Yeini was part of the Maccabi Tel Aviv team that has won a third straight Israeli Premier League championship along with Israel State Cup as well as the Toto Cup (Ligat Ha'Al).

= Vitesse =

In the summer of 2015, Yeini transferred to Eredivisie side Vitesse.

= Return to Maccabi Tel Aviv =

On 27 January 2017, Yeini returned to his previous Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Tel Aviv, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.

International career

Yeini was a U-21 youth international for Israel from 2007 to 2008.{{cite web | url=https://www.football.org.il/en/players/player/?player_id=8487 | title=ההתאחדות לכדורגל בישראל - Sheran YEINI }}

He made his first international appearance for the senior Israel national team on 22 March 2013, in a FIFA World Cup 2014 qualifier match against Portugal, during which he successfully guarded forward Cristiano Ronaldo and was elected MVP of the match, that ended in a 3–3 draw (4–4 in aggregation).{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.com/football/world-cup-qualification-uefa/2014/live-israel-portugal_mtc463813/live.shtml#Teams|title = Israel - Portugal live - 22 March 2013|date = 22 March 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.com/football/world-cup-qualification-uefa/2014/live-portugal-israel_mtc463826/live.shtml#Teams|title = Portugal - Israel live - 11 October 2013|date = 11 October 2013}}

As the captain of the senior national team, Yeini declared his retirement from the Israeli squad in a press conference during his last match with it, on 18 November 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.one.co.il/Article/20-21/1,0,3,32095/371460.html?ref=hp|title=בגיל 33: שרן ייני הודיע על פרישה מהנבחרת|date=18 November 2020}}