A very moving visit was held this morning (Friday, 24/1/2025) at the new museum of the "Maccabi Haifa" football club at the "Sami Ofer" Stadium in Haifa. Moshe Ran, (87 years old) the father of the team's legendary goalkeeper, the late Avi Ran, arrived to visit the museum accompanied by his home, Merav, former butler and family friend, Moshe Kahlon, past players who played with Avi, including Rafi Osam, and Zion Merili, and Chaim Mirovsky.

Moshe sat in the Kiryat Eliezer Arena and watched the film that talks about the 80s, the immense glory of "Maccabi Haifa" and Avi Ran, and the terrible tragedy that befell him immediately afterward.

The goalkeeper, Avi Ran, was a different kind of player who stood between the posts, one that had not been seen in our country for many years. On that cruel summer Saturday, 11/07/87, at noon today, the late Avi Ran, goalkeeper of Maccabi Haifa and the national team, rode a jet ski and entered the Sea of Galilee. It was all over. The No. 1 goalkeeper in Israel since the founding of the state, Avi Ran, was hit by a racing boat that passed nearby and died just a month before his 24th birthday. The goalkeeper who was a legend for many residents of the city of Haifa remained so even after his death. Many sports fans in Israel will never forget the day they heard about the terrible tragedy in the Sea of Galilee.

During the visit to the museum, Moshe viewed his father's goalie vest on the memorial wall in his memory and viewed his son's Player of the Season trophy from 1985. Moshe Ran finished his tour in the youth department area, where he also selected his son for Maccabi Haifa's all-time team.

Meanwhile, it is important to note that Moshe Ran donated quite a few items to the museum, including the "1985 Footballer of the Season Trophy", most of which are in the museum's permanent display.

Rafi Osmo, who played with Avi Ran, told Moshe Ran at the end of the tour: "Now, when it's in the museum, Avi will be remembered forever. I know that's what you want and that's what will happen here. Every child who passes by here, every school that takes a tour of the museum here, will learn about the great goalkeeper Avi Ran and will remember him forever."

During the tour, which was also accompanied by many tears, Moshe Ran said: "It's very moving. It's important that my son be remembered forever. My father was the greatest with the smallest destiny."
exciting.