Yeshayahu (Shaya) Shwegar, the late man who lived and breathed football every moment
In the shadow of the war, an exciting and nostalgic exhibition and salute game was held after 23 years in a row for the "Swegger Cup" tournament. This year's tournament (2024) remembers and embraces the families of the 125 abductees and wishes for their quick return home.
The result of the game The Carmel Beach veterans beat the Maccabi Haifa veterans with a victory result of 0:2 and won the cup. Maccabi Haifa veterans won the trophy in second place.
Itzik Ovadia in the Shugar tournament ► Watch
A special and exciting event - the Carmel Beach Regional Council cup games tournament
In the shadow of the war and in a special and exciting event that combines community, society and sport, a tournament was held on Friday, 24/5/2024 at noon. . This year the event was held and marked with the sign "Remembering for the families of the abductees" when before the start of the main game the children present who took part in the event released dozens of yellow balloons into the sky and wished for the return home and the arrival of our 125 abductees in Gaza.
Itzik Ovadia, CEO of the Maccabi Haifa Football Club, spoke in memory of the late Schwegger, who said:
When you enter the meeting room at the "Foam" training ground, there are 2 figures, one of Schwager and one of the late Hardy, with the clear intention that what that generation with an emphasis on these two left in the tradition of Maccabi Haifa, these are the next generations that we also want to see and raise. Maccabi Football Club Haifa is proud of these people and this connection, and proud to be here and to see all the great respect that the people here give to Yeshayahu Shwegar.
The "Schwager Cup" tournament is an active life's work to commemorate the late Schwager, which is being played this year for the 23rd consecutive year. The traditional tournament is held every year in Moshav Sarupa where Schwager lived for many years and over the years has become a household name and a big and happy event of culture and sports for children, the whole family and all football fans of all ages from young to old.
Among other things, they came to the game to honor the memory of the late Shwegar, the former veteran players of the Greens from Haifa who played on the grass were many and good among them: Avraham (Amed) Avokert, Shai Dahan, Zabar Daniel, Asher Bohdana, Shahar Siman-Tov and his brother Nadiv Siman - Well, Patricio Seig, son of Shia Shwegar, Elon Shwegar, goalkeepers Kobi Buskila and Danny Shoshan, as well as a special reinforcement player added to the green legends, it was Itzik Ovadia, CEO of the Maccabi Haifa football club, on the lines with the greens was the team's coach, a player The legendary forward Moshe Selecter and the match was properly refereed by referee Or Ben Ami.
Public figures, many people from the world of football and sports in Haifa and in Israel in general, former players and longtime fans also came to honor the memory of the late Shugar, among them: the Deputy Head of the HaCarmel Coast Council and his deputy Rafi Avni, the director of the sports department Adi Rabaon, Eitan Aharoni, Yu R. Maccabi Haifa Former Players Association Oded Belosh, Director of the Veterans Group Arie Barzilai, the adopter of the former Maccabi Haifa Veterans The CEO and owner of the "La Capella" hotel in Haifa Dafna Ullman, Avraham Moreno, David Gozlan, Haim Elkayam, Shlomo Bandou, Haim Forte, Bnei Branstok, Moshe (Pelbara) Leibman, Shlomo Shmol and many others. The HaCarmel veterans won the match 0:2, and the Maccabi veterans won the cup for second place.
At the end of the game of legends, Yifat ben Avraham, the late Shwegar's family member, spoke moving words, saying:
23 years we have been meeting here on the grass in a pure seat to remember and commemorate the name and work of our father Yeshayahu Shwegar - an actor at heart and a symbol for many people. This is the memorial enterprise, a game played by players who love the game of football and play in their free time, without pay but with a lot of love, you are part of this important enterprise. This celebration here today is a big celebration that is all about giving and symbolizes the huge heart that Dad had in general and also the field. There is no doubt that father was excited! Dad was a strong player, a "last stop" rear brake in every attack. Father was a humble man who loved football with all his heart, loved the simple game without titles, he lived and breathed football every moment. Dad didn't win big titles when he played football but he won the happiness of the game, he won good friends and passionate fans that he had for a big family. Dad loved the simple game without titles and fame, he was a fighter in the game and a player in the soul. Dad was not famous but a simple man and an example and role model for many generations, football was a way of life for him, thank you to everyone who came to honor his memory and took part in this exciting event. May we get to see our wounded soldiers recover and the kidnapped return home soon.
In the final game and cup of the "Sweger Tournament" the Atlit team won a penalty shootout against the rowers after the score was 1:1 at the end of the match, the Sweger Cup has been held for 23 years, organized by the sports department of the Carmel Coast Regional Council headed by the head of the council Assaf Izak and managed by the hand of a coordinator The sportsman Nadav Davidovitz is the director of the event who worked night and day for the impressive and respectable success of this event.
The event was open to the general public and according to tradition the audience was also an active part of the event where the participants and spectators enjoyed during the event teqball table games operated by Tekball Israel, music, raffles, prizes, the King of the Half competition, barbecues, cheap seating, cold drinks, popcorn, Ice creams and treats, cotton candy, watermelons, dictionaries and seasonal fruits and many more surprises throughout the event and in abundance and all of course free of charge.
Another of the organizers of the cup tournament and exhibition game for the late Yeshayahu (Shaya) Shweger was of course his former player son, Ilon Shweger, who was as excited as always at the event.
Thus said his son:
I have enormous excitement, I am all excited here today to see all the crowds that came to honor the memory of my late father and all this despite the fact that 23 years have already passed, which is not obvious. This is proof of the thing that shows how much he father was a figure and personality loved by everyone. It's no secret that the "Schweger tournament" from a family tournament over the years has long since become the public domain and that's what's beautiful and important and moves me especially. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all those who helped me a lot in organizing the event and to all the soccer teams that took part in the games here today, I hope that we will hold the tournament in memory of my father here next year as well, which will be its 24th time in a row.
Yeshayahu Schweger, considered the best defender of Maccabi Haifa of all time, played 410 games (360 league games and 50 cup games) in the team's uniform in 14 seasons. Schwegger played on the team captain standard for several seasons. "The boss" and "the last station" were nicknames that accompanied him throughout the years. Despite the glorious career, he did not win a title with the team. After Schwegger's death, it was decided in the Maccabi Haifa football club to commemorate his memory and the name of the late Schwegger was given to a children's group called Maccabi Yeshayahu Haifa.
The late Schwegger played with the Israel national team in the 1970 World Cup, the only World Cup for which the team qualified to date, which was held in Mexico. Schwegger excelled in the match against the Italian team when he masterfully guarded the striker Luigi Riva, who was one of the best players in the world. Schwegger appeared 37 times in the uniform of the Israeli national team during his career. On 31.8.2000 he died of cardiac arrest and was the first player to pass away from the Israeli national team that qualified for the World Cup. He was 54 years old when he died.
There is no doubt that the tournament and the games this year were also wonderfully organized and were extremely exciting, may the memory of the former player Isaiah (Shaya) Shwegar be blessed!
All the best to Maccabi Haifa.