Ya'akov Hodorov

Football player infobox
playername = Ya'akov Hodorov


fullname = Ya'akov Hodorov
nickname =
height =
dateofbirth = Birth date|1927|06|16|df=yes
cityofbirth = Rishon LeZion
countryofbirth = Palestine
dateofdeath = Death date and age|2006|12|31|1927|06|16|df=yes
cityofdeath = Jerusalem
countryofdeath = Israel
currentclub = Deceased
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1942-1944
1944-1947
1947-1962
1962-1964
1964-1965
1965-1966
clubs = Maccabi Rishon LeZion
Hapoel Rishon LeZion
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Ramat Gan
Shimshon Tel Aviv
Hapoel Holon
caps(goals) =
nationalyears = 1949-1964
nationalteam = flagicon|Israel Israel
nationalcaps(goals) = 31 (0)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Ya'akov Hodorov (16 June 1927 - 31 December 2006) was an Israeli football goalkeeper in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Considered by many as Israel's best goalkeeper in history, and among the best goalkeepers of his generation. He received the Israel Prize for his excellence in 2006.

Hodorov started his football career at Maccabi Rishon LeZion at the age of 15. After few years he moved to local rival Hapoel Rishon LeZion, where he first got national recognition as the unfancied team reached the cup final in 1946. Shortly afterwards he moved to Hapoel Tel Aviv, the club where he stayed for most of his career. At Hapoel Tel Aviv he won the Israeli league championship in 1957 and the Israeli state cup in 1960. Later he joined Hapoel Ramat Gan and won another league title in 1964, and afterwards played at Shimshon Tel Aviv and ended his career with Hapoel Holon, where he also had a short spell as coach.

Hodorov made his debut for the national team in a friendly match against Cyprus in 1949, and for the next decade played in almost all international matches. He soon became the hero of the team that struggled against European opponents. He reached his peak in the latter half of the 1950s.

The most memorable match of his career was in 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification against Wales at Cardiff, in which he suffered a broken nose in a collision with Welsh striker John Charles but continued to play and made dozens of acrobatic saves.

Other notable matches were against USSR at Ramat Gan Stadium in 1956 Olympic qualification, where he played with a broken finger, and Israel's sensational win over Yugoslavia at Belgrade in 1960 Olympic qualification.

Hodorov got lucrative offers from several European professional clubs, including Arsenal FC, Dundee United and Fenerbahçe,Fact|date=February 2007 but he turned them down and chose to play his entire career in the then-amateur Israeli league.

The state of Israel has awarded him the Israel Prize for his excellence and contribution for sports, one of few sportpeople who received this honour. Several days before he was due to receive the prize he suffered a stroke and was unable to attend the ceremony. This stroke eventually led to his death several months later at the age of 79.