Lior Asulin

Lior Asulin (; 6 October 1980 – 7 October 2023) was an Israeli footballer who played as a striker. He was killed during an attack on a music festival by the militant group Hamas in the first day of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.

Career

Maccabi Herzliya and Ariel Shaiman 
A native of Ra'anana, Israel, Asulin grew up in the youth system of Maccabi Herzliya and it was there that he made the jump to Israel's highest league, Israeli Premier League but did not last long as the club was relegated just two seasons after he made the first team. In Liga Leumit Lior scored a league leading twenty-eight goals, so after the 2001–02 season, club chairman Ariel Shaiman loaned Lior out to clubs in the top league and signed him to a long term contract with Herzliya hoping to cash in on a large transfer fee.

During his seasons on loan, Lior has won the State Cup and established himself as one of the top Israeli strikers in the domestic league. Subsequently, after the end of the 2005–06 season, Herzliya chairman Ariel Shaiman disclosed to the media that he received lucrative offers from Olympique de Marseille and OGC Nice from France, from Russia, Turkey, three teams from Cyprus, and from a team in Greece for Asulin's services though nothing has ever come about from said offers.

After winning the State Cup with Bnei Sakhnin, he signed on loan for Beitar Jerusalem.

Hapoel Tel Aviv 
In June 2007, Asulin signed for a four-year contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv.

In January 2008 after a not-so-good time in Hapoel he signed for Apollon Limassol on loan.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva 
From  2009 to 2011 Lior played for Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Israeli Premier League.

Return to Liga Leumit 
On 17 August 2011, Asulin signed a contract with Hapoel Ramat Gan in Liga Leumit. Asulin helped them win the Leumit double as they won the Toto Cup and the league to secure promotion to the Premier League. He was the club's top scorer in that season, scoring in total 14 goals in all competitions.

On 17 June 2012, after being released by Ramat Gan for poor behavior he signed a new contract with Hapoel Rishon LeZion. On 4 December 2012, he helped the club win their first trophy when he scored a goal and a penalty in the 2012–13 Toto Cup Leumit finals.

Death 

On 7 October 2023, Asulin was attending a music festival in Re'im, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on the festival during the first day of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. He was among the more than 200 civilians killed during the attack.

Honours
 Toto Cup (Leumit): 2011, 2012
 Liga Leumit: 2011–12

Footnotes

External links

1980 births
2023 deaths
Israeli men's footballers
Maccabi Herzliya F.C. players
Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C. players
Bnei Sakhnin F.C. players
Beitar Jerusalem F.C. players
Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. players
Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. players
Apollon Limassol FC players
Hapoel Be'er Sheva F.C. players
Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim F.C. players
Hapoel Rishon LeZion F.C. players
Hapoel Petah Tikva F.C. players
Hapoel Ashkelon F.C. players
Hapoel Marmorek F.C. players
Hapoel Nof HaGalil F.C. players
Israeli expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus
Israeli expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus
Israeli Premier League players
Liga Leumit players
Cypriot First Division players
Israeli people of Moroccan-Jewish descent
Footballers from Ra'anana
Men's association football forwards
People killed in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
21st-century Israeli Jews
21st-century Israeli people
20th-century Israeli Jews
20th-century Israeli people