Benayoun has been Israel’s most successful player. He made a record 102 international appearances for country, scoring 24 goals.
He came up through the ranks of Hapoel Beer Sheva and Maccabi Haifa and after a spell in Spain with Racing Santander moved to West Ham in 2005, before playing for Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. After playing for QPR, he returned to Israel in 2014.
“Retirement is a big word for me because football has been an integral part of my life since I began my journey from Dimona and Beer Sheva to Haifa, 12 years in Europe and then back to Israel.
"It’s important for me to thank the fans, the ones who gave me love wherever I went,” said Benayoun. “I am sure that the next chapter in my career will be challenging and no less exciting. There are moments I’ll take with me for life.”
