UEFA has decided to hold it’s Euro 2013 in four Israeli cities this June. It is going to be the biggest international sporting event ever hosted in Israel so the organizers held a media preview to reveal all the details about the tournament.
Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent:
UEFA’s Euro 2013 is going to take place in four Israeli cities in June. It is going to be the biggest international sport event ever hosted in Israel so the organizers held a preview media event to reveal the first details of what’s to come and JN1 was of course there to cover it all.
Guy Luzon, Trainer, Israel National Team Under 21:
It’s very exciting for us, we are looking forward to the tournament. All the big teams in Europe come to Israel and we will host the competition, it’s the first time in Israel that this kind of competition happened and we will do the best.
Ronen Hershko, Tournament Director:
It’s the biggest International sports competition that this country hosted from the establishment of the country. I think we were working for the bid since 4-years ago, lucky us we got it. Because for this country getting two weeks, all over the world for it’s more than 140 countries that are going to see the matches, hundreds of millions to see a different Israel. I think it’s a very big challenge, due to the fact that as I mentioned it’s the biggest sport event. As well, in the end, the eyes of this county and you always want to do a supplement above the football society and what we can offer. As well, the quality of the organization, stages, 4-stadiums as well for all the spectators are going to come and arrive to this country, that they will come and approach the stadium and feel the same feeling like they are in big other countries within Europe. So this is our main challenge.
Eyal Golan, Singer, Official Theme Song:
It’s a great honor to be a part of this tournament, part of this sporting event, of the really greatest that were ever here in our country. UEFA and the soccer association turned to me, and I immediately said yes because, I am also a soccer player in the past and it connects me this exact event. If something will happen with this song afterwards, or it is heard and people love it abroad, it will be a bonus for me. What I consider really very important is to be a part of this tournament, which is really a huge thing.
Meital De Razon, Official Theme Song:
I hope we will make number One in all the charts, we’re voting for it, and all the clubs and everywhere and to be like leading hit of the summer. I knew it was a hit, first when we had the chorus “Always my Number One” we knew ok this is a smasher, this is it. There’s going to be another version which is completely in English, we’re doing both and when Eyal talked to me about doing this, first of all he’s like the number one singer in Israel, he can sing in Gibberish and nobody would mind cause his voice is so incredible. So when we did this I knew that I want to give him this song, we want to do it and I don’t care, like it’s a hit anyways.
Question (in Background) – As the host team you have to work a little harder and Israeli soccer is not that known for being such a big Soccer team?
Guy Luzon, Trainer, Israel National Team Under 21:
As the host team, you have to work a little harder, right? So Israeli soccer are not that known for being such a big soccer team. I promise you that we’ll give 100%, all that we have we will bring and it will be ok. Soundbite – Shirley Bar Dayan, Reporter, Israeli Sports Channel. We never saw such young players coming to Israel, you know promising players, so I think the people that will come will probably enjoy that.
Ron Jacobsohn The organizers hope that the release of the theme song will attract the right attention towards the tournament and will convince those who still didn’t buy tickets for 15 games at the event to rush and do so.For JN1, I am Ron Jacobsohn in Tel-Aviv.