Oscar Gloukh

Oscar Gloukh[3] (sometimes Gloch or Gluh,[4][5] Hebrew: אוסקר גלוך; born (2004-04-01)1 April 2004) is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder[2] for Austrian Bundesliga club RB Salzburg and the Israel national team.

Oscar Gloukh
Gloukh with RB Salzburg in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-04-01) 1 April 2004 (age 20)
Place of birthRehovot, Israel
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s)Attacking midfielder,[2] advanced playmaker
Team information
Current team
Red Bull Salzburg
Number30
Youth career
2009–2010Maccabi Sha'arayim
2010–2022Maccabi Tel Aviv
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2023Maccabi Tel Aviv25(7)
2023–Red Bull Salzburg44(9)
International career
2019–2020Israel U167(1)
2021Israel U183(1)
2021-2022Israel U1917(4)
2022–2023Israel U219(0)
2022–Israel12(3)
Medal record
Representing  Israel U-19
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Runner-up2022 SlovakiaTeam
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 March 2024

Early life

Gloukh was born and raised in Rehovot, Israel; to his father Maxim Gloukh, a former footballer who immigrated from Russia to Israel as a 13 year old.[6][7]

Club career

Gloukh warming up ahead of a match with Red Bull Salzburg in 2023

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Gloukh made his senior debut with Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv on 8 August 2021 at the 1–1 draw against Hapoel Jerusalem at the Israeli Toto Cup (7–6 to Hapoel Jerusalem after penalties).[8]

On 11 April 2022 he also made his senior Israeli Premier League club line-up debut for Maccabi Tel Aviv at the 1–1 draw against Maccabi Haifa, where he scored his debut senior goal in the 28th minute.[9]

Red Bull Salzburg

On 27 January 2023, Gloukh was acquired by Austrian Bundesliga champions Red Bull Salzburg for €7 million and signed a 4.5-year contract.[10][11]

Gloukh netted a goal in the 51st minute of his UEFA Champions League debut, on 20 September 2023; in a match against Portuguese side Benfica, where Gloukh managed to secure a 0–2 away win for Salzburg.[12] This made him the then youngest Israeli footballer ever to score in the Champions League, at the age of 19.[13]

International career

Gloukh has capped for the Israel under-19 team since 2021, and took part in its qualification to the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship for the second time in its history. Gloukh scored 4 goals (third best goalscorer) and made 2 assists, including a goal in the final match against England, a match which ended in a 1–3 defeat after extra time. Gloukh was named as one of the championship's best performers by ESPN,[14] and was named in UEFA's "Team of the Tournament".[15] Gloukh's strike for his native Israel in the final against England, has also earned him the "UEFA 2022 Under-19 EURO Goal of the Tournament".[16]

Gloukh has also been part of the Israel under-21 team, capping his debut on 2 June 2022,[17] and took part in its qualification to the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship for the third time in Israel's history.

In November 2022, Gloukh was first called-up to play for the seniors' Israel national team ahead of the home friendly matches against Zambia and Cyprus. On 17 November, he made his debut, coming on as a substitute, in a 4–2 victory over Zambia.[18] Three days later, Gloukh both started in the Israeli line-up against Cyprus, as well as scored his first senior international goal.[19]

In June of 2023, Gloukh featured in the Israel national team squad for their 2024 European Qualifier against Belarus. Gloukh came off the bench in the 57th minute and would go on to score his first Senior goal, in an official UEFA competition, in 90' + 1' to win the match.

Personal life

Gloukh was best friends with Afik Tery, who played for Israeli Premier League team Sektzia Ness Ziona. Tery was killed on 1 March 2024 while serving with the Israeli Defence Force in Khan Yunis during the Israel–Hamas war.[20]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 May 2024[21][22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup[a]League cup[b]EuropeTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Maccabi Tel Aviv2021–22Israeli Premier League83201000113
2022–23Israeli Premier League17422204[c]0256
Total257423040369
Red Bull Salzburg2022–23Austrian Bundesliga152002[d]0172
2023–24Austrian Bundesliga297506[e]2409
Total44950825711
Career total691692301229320

International

As of match played 21 March 2024[23][21]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Israel202221
202392
202410
Total123

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.20 November 2022HaMoshava Stadium, Petah Tikva, Israel  Cyprus1–22–3Friendly
2.16 June 2023Szusza Ferenc Stadion, Budapest, Hungary  Belarus2–12–1UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
3.9 September 2023Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania  Romania1–11–1

Honours

Gloukh (crouching on the far left) celebrating the 2022–23 Austrian Bundesliga championship with Red Bull Salzburg

Red Bull Salzburg

Individual

See also

References