Tomer Hemed


Tomer Hemed is an Israeli professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Charlton Athletic and the Israel national team.

Early life

Hemed was born in Kiryat Tiv'on, Israel, to an Israeli-born father whose family is of Sephardic Jewish descent, and to a Polish-born mother whose family is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. As a result, Hemed also holds a Polish passport, which eased his move to European leagues. He is the youngest of four brothers.

Club career

Maccabi Haifa

Hemed was called up to Maccabi Haifa's first-team in early 2006, after scoring regularly for the under-18 side. He appeared three times with the main squad, scoring once, before returning to the youth side. He made his debut in the campaign on 3 March 2007, coming on as a substitute in a 1–2 home loss against Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv. Hemed scored his first professional goals on 26 May, netting his side's both goals in a 2–0 win at Maccabi Herzliya. In 2007, he travelled with the Under-21 side to that year's Torneo di Viareggio; he scored once as Haifa was knocked-out in the group stage.
Hemed was subsequently loaned to Maccabi Herzliya, Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv and Maccabi Ahi Nazareth. Nazareth, however, finished last as Hemed scored nine goals.
Hemed returned to Maccabi Haifa in the 2010 summer, and appeared in 45 matches during the 2010–11 campaign, also scoring 18 goals as the club was crowned champions.

Mallorca

On 21 June 2011, Hemed signed a three-year deal with Spanish La Liga club RCD Mallorca. He made his debut in the main category of the Spanish football on 28 August, starting and being booked in a 1–0 home success against RCD Espanyol.
Hemed scored his first goals abroad on 1 October, scoring both his side's goals in a 2–2 draw at CA Osasuna. He also netted twice in his Copa del Rey debut, a 6–1 home routing over Real Sociedad on 10 January of the following year.
Hemed finished his first season abroad with nine goals, although four of them were from the penalty spot. In his second season he scored 11 goals, with the Balearic Islands outfit being relegated, however. In May 2013 Hemed suffered an Achilles tendon rupture, which kept him sidelined for seven months.

Almería

On 2 July 2014 Hemed returned to the Spanish top level, by agreeing to a two-year deal with UD Almería. After struggling to score in his first matches, he netted his first goal with the Andalusians on 4 October, the last in a 2–2 home draw against Elche CF.
In January 2015, Hemed scored two braces against Málaga CF and Valencia CF, taking his tally up to six. He finished the campaign with eight goals, being the club's top goalscorer, but suffered team relegation.

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 24 June 2015 Hemed signed a three-year deal with English Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion for an undisclosed fee. He scored his first goal for the Seagulls from the penalty spot in the last moments of an away game at Fulham, to seal a 2–1 victory. Hemed scored just one goal between September 2015 and February 2016, which drew criticism from supporters, but rediscovered his early season form to finish as the club's top scorer with 17 goals.
Hemed scored 13 goals in all competitions in Brighton's promotion-winning 2016–17 season, trading starting positions regularly with top-scorer Glenn Murray and Sam Baldock in a strike force that managed to score 44 league goals between them. Highlights from Hemed throughout the season included a last gasp equaliser in a 3–3 draw away to Brentford, the only goal in a hard earned 1–0 win against Cardiff City, and a late penalty in a narrow 1–0 away win against Burton Albion.
On 9 September 2017, Hemed scored his first Premier League goal for Brighton in a 3–1 victory over West Bromwich Albion. Hemed scored again in Brighton's next home Premier League game, a 1–0 win against Newcastle United on 24 September. Three days later, the FA announced that Hemed had been given a three-match ban for a stamp on the calf of Newcastle defender DeAndre Yedlin, an incident which went unnoticed by referee Andre Marriner.
On 16 November 2017, Hemed signed a contract extension with Brighton, keeping him on the south coast until the summer of 2019.

Queens Park Rangers (loan)

On 23 August 2018, Hemed joined Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan. Two days later he scored his first goal for the club on his debut against Wigan Athletic in a 1–0 win at Loftus Road.

Charlton Athletic

On 19 August 2019, Hemed joined Charlton Athletic on a one-year deal. He made his debut for The Addicks as a substitute in a 1–0 home victory over fellow London side, Brentford on 24 August.

International career

Hemed appeared with the under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21s, featuring regularly with the youth squads. In January 2011, he was called up to the main squad for a behind closed doors friendly against FC Dynamo Kyiv. Hemed made his unofficial debut on the 26th, scoring in a 3–2 win.
In May 2011, Hemed was called up to train with the national team for a friendly against Latvia in June. On 4 June, he made his international debut, starting and assisting Yossi Benayoun in a 2–1 victory.
Hemed scored his first international goal on 6 September, but in a 1–3 loss against Croatia. He also scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 routing against Luxembourg on 12 October of the following year.

Personal life

In 2013, he married Israeli model Shunit Faragi, who was crowned second place at Miss Israel 2008, and also represented their homeland in Miss Universe 2008. In 2014, they had their first daughter.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef
16 September 2011Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia41–01–3UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
229 February 2012HaMoshava Stadium, Petah Tikva, Israel61–22–3Friendly
315 August 2012Ferenc Puskás Stadium, Budapest, Hungary81–11–1Friendly
412 October 2012Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg103–06–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
512 October 2012Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg105–06–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
612 October 2012Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg106–06–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
716 October 2012Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel111–03–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
816 October 2012Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel113–03–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification
922 March 2013Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel141–13–32014 FIFA World Cup qualification
1013 October 2014Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra154–14–1UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
113 September 2015Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa, Israel183–04–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
1213 October 2015King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium211–31–3UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
136 October 2016Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia241–02–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
149 October 2016Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, Israel251–02–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
159 October 2016Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, Israel252–02–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
1624 March 2018Netanya Stadium, Netanya, Israel311–01–2Friendly
1714 October 2018Turner Stadium, Be'er Sheva, Israel341–02–02018–19 UEFA Nations League C

Honours

Maccabi Haifa
Brighton & Hove Albion
Individual