The Beitar Jerusalem 1996/97 shirt is the most popular Israeli shirt in our whole collection, and it is easy to see why. Yellow and black, the menorah crest, and on the back the most famous number in the club’s history: Eli Ohana’s 11.
It is the shirt of the season when Beitar became champions again, led by the player who had already conquered Europe.
Eli Ohana grew up at Beitar and was part of the team that won the club’s first Israeli championship in 1986/87, alongside the legendary Uri Malmilian. That summer he moved to KV Mechelen in Belgium, and within a year he was a European champion. Mechelen beat Ajax in the 1988 Cup Winners’ Cup final, and Ohana won the Bravo award as the best young player in Europe.
In the early 1990s he came home. Beitar were in the second tier, and Ohana helped them win promotion. In 1992/93 the club won its second championship, and Ohana had become the face of Jerusalem football.
Under coach Eli Cohen, who arrived in 1995, Beitar built one of the strongest teams in Israeli football history. In 1996/97 they won the title, the club’s third, finishing on 69 points from 30 matches.
Ohana had an outstanding season and was named player of the year. Next to him, Itzik Zohar scored 14 league goals and earned a move to Crystal Palace in England, while Yossi Abuksis added energy and quality in midfield. The Teddy Stadium was full, and Beitar were the team everyone wanted to beat.
The Beitar Jerusalem 1996/97 shirt shows the club’s traditional yellow and black, the menorah crest on the chest and bold Hebrew sponsor lettering. With Ohana’s name and number 11 on the back, it is a shirt that every Beitar fan recognises immediately.
Beitar did it again in 1997/98, winning the title for the second year in a row and the fourth time in their history. For a generation of fans in Jerusalem, these were the best years they had ever seen, and Ohana’s number 11 became part of the city’s football identity.
After his playing days, Ohana moved into coaching and later managed Beitar himself, which only strengthened the bond between the player, the number and the club.
Yellow and black is one of the most striking colour combinations in football, and this shirt stands out wherever you wear it: at Teddy, at a watch party in Tel Aviv or on the other side of the world. It looks best with black shorts or dark jeans, letting the yellow do the work.
The shirt comes with Ohana’s 11, but you can also personalise it with your own name and number. Every shirt is made to order and shipped with DHL Express, so it reaches Israel quickly and fully tracked.
The Beitar Jerusalem 1996/97 shirt is more than a retro jersey. It connects the club’s first title, Ohana’s European adventure and the golden years of the late 1990s in one piece of fabric. For many fans it is the shirt they wore as children, and now want to wear again.
Complete the story with the Beitar 1986/87 Ohana away shirt from the first title and the 1997/98 Abuksis home shirt, or browse our full Beitar Jerusalem collection. DHL Express to Israel costs £16.99 per order. You can read more about Ohana on Wikipedia.
Like every shirt in our collection, the Beitar Jerusalem 1996/97 shirt is made to order in 8–10 business days and can be personalised with any name and number.
Archive photos: Moti Kikion, via Wikimedia Commons.
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Football Jersey · measurements in cm
| Size | Width | Length |
|---|---|---|
| S | 54 | 74 |
| M | 56 | 76 |
| L | 58 | 78 |
| XL | 60 | 80 |
| 2XL | 62 | 82 |
Regular fit. All measurements are in cm and may vary by ±1 cm.
