Why Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz is making headlines in Britain
Southampton Peretz emerged as one of the more talked-about figures in British football coverage after helping Southampton beat Arsenal for the British FA Cup. Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz drew widespread British media attention over the weekend after helping Southampton , a club from England’s second-tier Championship, defeat Arsenal 2-1 in the FA Cup quarter-finals. The result was treated in Britain as a major upset.
Arsenal is one of England’s biggest clubs and a Premier League contender, while Southampton’s victory sent it to the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, England’s national stadium. Peretz , who is on loan at Southampton from Bayern Munich, stood at the center of the coverage for two reasons: his performance in the win and a widely read interview published before the match. The strongest UK coverage came from The Guardian , which published an in-depth interview with Peretz ahead of the game.
In it, the Israeli international spoke about Southampton’s confidence before facing Arsenal, concern for family members in Tel Aviv living under the threat of air raid sirens, and football’s role as a source of focus during wartime. “We have a lot of respect for Arsenal, but we are not afraid,” Peretz told The Guardian . “If someone does not believing 100%, then he should not come to the game.
” Southampton's Daniel Peretz during the warm up before the match. (credit: REUTERS/Tony O Brien) He also described the strain of following events in Israel while continuing his career abroad, saying football had become “a really good therapy” and a way to make Israelis proud. The interview gave British readers a broader picture of Peretz beyond the match itself.
He spoke about admiring Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, training alongside England captain Harry Kane, and making his Champions League debut, while also indicating that his long-term future would likely depend on how Southampton’s season ends. Reports noted that Southampton holds a reported buy option on the goalkeeper. Pertz's composure helps Southamptom beat Arsenal After the match, British reports highlighted Peretz’s composure and several important saves as Southampton absorbed late Arsenal pressure to reach the final four of England’s oldest and most prestigious knockout soccer competition.