Daniel Peretz

Daniel Peretz (דניאל פרץ, t̻͡s̪; born 10 July 2000) is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for  club Bayern Munich and the Israel national team.

Early and personal life
Peretz was born and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, to an Israeli family of both Sephardi Jewish and Mizrahi Jewish descent, as well as of Ashkenazi Jewish (German-Jewish) descent. He is the cousin of fellow Maccabi Tel Aviv youth academy graduates Dan Glazer and twin-brothers Tamir Glazer and Amit Glazer, who all have been Israel international footballers since youth.

He also holds a German passport, on account of his Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors. Thus, he also holds EU citizenship, which eases the move to certain European football leagues.

He has been in a relationship with Israeli singer and actress Noa Kirel since July 2023.

Club career
Peretz has joined Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth academy, at the age of six.

Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam (loan)
He spent his senior debut season on loan at Israeli club Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam in the 2019–20 Liga Leumit season, where he made 32 appearances – and remarkably scored two goals of his own throughout that season.

Maccabi Tel Aviv
On 22 August 2020, Peretz made his senior debut with Israeli defending champions Maccabi Tel Aviv during their 2020–21 Toto Cup Al (the League Cup of the Israeli Premier League) final 2–0 win against Bnei Sakhnin. On 12 September 2021, he signed a new contract with the club, until the end of the 2023–24 Israeli Premier League season.

Peretz has been Maccabi Tel Aviv's first goalkeeper choice during his European campaign debut in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League, helping his team to get from its initial second qualifying stage, to the third qualifying stage, then to its play-off round, and then to the final tournament's group stage where Maccabi Tel Aviv eventually qualified from the second place of it to the knockout round play-offs against Dutch side PSV Eindhoven that ended for his team in a 1–0 away loss and a 1–1 home draw.

On 18 August 2022, Peretz was praised for his performance that managed to keep a clean sheet in their 2022–23 UEFA Conference League Play-offs first leg against French side Nice, helping his team to a 1–0 home victory.

Bayern Munich
On 25 August 2023, Peretz joined German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich signing a five-year contract until 30 June 2028, for a reported initial transfer fee of over €5 million; receiving the number 18 jersey. He is the first Israeli Jew to play for this German side, even though the club have strong Jewish roots and count among their 17 founders Benno Elkan, since Bayern Munich's inception in the early 1900's.

On 26 September, Peretz made his debut at the club by starting in a 4–0 away win over SC Preußen Münster in the DFB-Pokal. On 12 May 2024, he made his Bundesliga debut, coming off the bench to substitute Manuel Neuer, in a 2–0 win over VfL Wolfsburg.

International career
Peretz has been a youth international for Israel since 2016, and has been the first goalkeeper for the Israel U-21 since his debut on 2 September 2021.

Peretz was first called-up to the seniors' Israel national team on 4 October 2021, ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers (UEFA) matches against Scotland and Moldova. On 20 November 2022, he made his debut for the Israeli senior squad, in a friendly match against Cyprus which ended in a 2–3 home loss.

In the decisive second leg of the play-offs for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship against Ireland, the tie went to a penalty shoot-out – Peretz saved three penalties in a row, as well as scored one of his own, to punch Israel's ticket to the final tournament.

During the 2023 U-21 Euros group stage match against Germany, which ended in a 1–1 draw mainly because of Peretz who successfully saved two penalties amidst standard game-time – thanks to this feat of his and many other outstanding saves throughout it, Peretz also received the UEFA's Player of the Match award.

Peretz also saved a crucial penalty in the penalty shootout during the quarter-finals of the 2023 UEFA U-21 Euros against host country, Georgia. Peretz has once again was honoured by UEFA with the Player of the Match award, and for second time at the same tournament. This secured a spot for his national team in the semi-finals, where they met eventual champions England, although Peretz had to miss it due to suspension for accumulation of a yellow card in each of his two recent matches. Nevertheless, Peretz and the squad have succeeded to guarantee their native Israel a participation in the 2024 Olympics. Peretz was chosen as one of three overage players for the 2024 Olympic Games. However, a thigh muscle tendon injury he sustained before the tournament would prevent him from participating.

Honours
Maccabi Tel Aviv
 * Israel State Cup: 2020–21
 * Israel Toto Cup (Ligat Ha'Al): 2020–21
 * Israel Super Cup: 2020