This is the most well-known family in Israeli football. A stormy and emotional father, with unfulfilled dreams and a striped career, who leads all four of his children to a craft he has not finished – with the aim of closing a circle. Yaakov, Maor, Almog, Ohad and Assi have become TV stars in recent years, through “The Buzaglos”, the reality show that captured the screens.
But along with their rise as media stars, it is precisely their football careers – which were their main goal – that are being missed. On the day that Almog is released from Hapoel Haifa, and Maor’s career continues to move away from the track, we came to a conclusion – perhaps intermediate, and perhaps at all – of the football chapter in the Buzaglo family’s life.
Maor has always been the locomotive that drags the family on the grass, certainly in recent years, but it seems that his career is also losing direction. After a good career (15 years, including appearances in all five major teams, three championships and even European success with Hapoel Beer Sheva), Buzaglo is in a trap. Technically, Buzaglo is still training at Hapoel Tel Aviv, but he has not taken part in the team since the beginning of the season.
In fact, since the derby in June 2020 (end of last season), he has not been part of a professional football team. Will he retire? “I advised him to retire from football,” said Yaakov Buzaglo, a father and relative, in an interview with “5 in the Air.” “A player who can’t bring energies, can’t play. In his medical condition, after more than half a year without football, it’s also dangerous to come back.”
Later, Yaakov Buzaglo also referred to what brought the relationship to this situation: “He is very injured. He is not one to play with. Maor is still training with Hapoel Tel Aviv, and when the foreign players see what he does in training, they do not understand how they do not use it. “And it was my fault – I stood on my hind legs that he would come to Hapoel Tel Aviv, he did not want to hear about it at the time. He got there because of me. I failed, and I took responsibility for it.”
Almog is also at a crossroads. The striker, who is having a hard time recovering from the injury he suffered, has finished his career at Hapoel Haifa – and is set to look for a new team. “Coral is different from Maor,” says the father, “he is still young and has something to give in football. Once a good alternative is found, he will pass. There is no disaster in that. He has suggestions, and I trust the Katsav brothers who can market him to the right team. Until then, he Under a contract and he is a Hapoel Haifa player for all intents and purposes. ”
At this stage, Almog is wanted by Hapoel Hadera, while the owner of Hapoel Umm al-Fahm from Leumit also stated that she is interested in him as a reinforcement. With the Reds, he suffered two serious injuries, both to the cruciate ligament and to the shoulder, from which he had difficulty recovering – and will now try to start his career elsewhere.
The other two sides in the square, Asi and Ohad, are already out of football. Asi recreated himself as a TV star, among other things as part of “Survival”; Ohad coached several teams, but did not find a place in them. In the interview, Jacob more hints that they are starting to think about the day after the industry.
“In recent years we have had very bad karma in sports,” he admitted, “but there are things beyond, with all due respect to football. We will no longer tear our clothes if we do not play. I am optimistic about Coral and Maor because I know how much they want and love. Sometimes in the team “One does not go, but in another team everything can be reopened. Even in the current form, if you tie Maor’s arm and leg, he is better than most of the league.”
“I’m tired of football,” Yaakov Buzaglo admitted in a moment of sincerity. “The reality of the industry has made me disgusted. I do not see or hear anything anymore. Not even in Europe. I am tired of this game. It is also beyond football, it is not a way of a country dealing in sports.”
So is the “Bouzaglos” on the way to the end of his football career? Almog will probably still be in the game, but far from the places he hoped for – and he will probably be the last remnant that tries to hold the football brand. It seems that even with the family, which has always been very turbulent about the game, the understanding permeates that it is time to move to another place. And in this world, the “Buzaglos” – in the role of the Israeli “Kardashians” – will always have a place and an opportunity for success. The show of the most passionate family in our football, is probably going to go through a branch – but stay on the wheel. Always.
