Statistically, this is the World Cup with the fewest Jews among the various national soccer teams, putting aside officials and wheeler-dealers. In fact, even among the power brokers, Jews are not especially prominent at this World Cup. One of the only such figures, believe it or not, was the Jew, on both sides of his family, who helped establish Curaçao's national soccer team and even served as chairman of the local association before it became a mini empire.
There is also, of course, the player of Moroccan descent on Cape Verde's national team, Gilson Benchimol Tavares, but he is Jewish only on his father's side and has no connection to Israel or to Judaism according to Jewish law.
Tracing his roots
The story of US national team goalkeeper Matt Turner, 31, is different. Turner wanted to play in Europe, and he has stood in goal for Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. To prove that he was European, he began working on obtaining a Lithuanian passport, and that is how he discovered that his grandmother was a Jew who fled Lithuania for the US during the Holocaust.
His father's original family name was Tarnovsky, and after the family was persecuted in Lithuania for being Jewish, they decided to change the name to Turner. The goalkeeper admitted: "That helped me start searching for my roots. When I found the documents, I was very moved. The more my father and I learned about our history, the more connected I felt to my Jewish side."
Subjected to antisemitism
He visited Israel and began researching his own history and that of his family, while also learning more about Israel and Judaism. Since Oct. 7, he has been caught on camera at least once wearing a Star of David necklace, something that earned him curses and threats on social media, the most fertile ground for antisemitic attacks.
When he posted the video in which he receives the phone call informing him of his call-up to the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, held in his native country, the video went viral. But there, too, he was subjected to an antisemitic attack that was extraordinary by American standards, prompting discussion in the US media.
Turner was the starting goalkeeper at the previous World Cup in Qatar, and he is now fighting for his place in the starting lineup. "In any case, I get emotional and teary-eyed when I hear our anthem," he said after receiving the World Cup call-up. Tonight against Australia, he will hope his team secures its place in the knockout stage.
