22-year-old winger joins CLTFC following prolific spell in Scottish topflight
CHARLOTTE, NC (Thursday, March 7, 2024)-Charlotte FC today announced the Club has acquired forward Liel Abada from Celtic FC as a Young Designated Player.
Abada has signed a contract through 2026 with an option for 2027 and will occupy an international roster slot.
The 22-year-old winger had 51 goal contributions in 112 matches for Scottish Premiership club Celtic in his two-and-a-half-year spell at Parkhead. Abada helped the Glasgow-based club to a treble in 2023 winning the Scottish Premier League, Scottish Cup, and Scottish League Cup.
Related Article: Liel Abada: A Goal-Hungry Winger
“Liel has been one of the most exciting young wingers in Europe and we’re delighted to welcome him to Charlotte. He’s an elite goal scorer and chance creator who is a proven winner that is determined to bring trophies home to the Club and our supporters,” said General Manager Zoran Krneta. “Liel has amassed nearly 200 professional games since making his debut, a stellar number for a 22-year-old, and has experience on Europe’s biggest stage—the UEFA Champions League. To bring a player of his caliber to Major League Soccer speaks to the strength of the league, but also that Charlotte FC is an attractive destination for top foreign talent.”
Following his move to Celtic in 2021, Abada thrived under Ange Postecoglou and reached double-digit goals and assists in his first year as a 19-year-old. He followed up his debut season with 13 goals and nine assists in the 2022/23 season.
In total, the Israeli international won five trophies, scored 29 goals and added 22 assists across all competitions for Celtic. He featured 17 times for Celtic in European football, with five appearances in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage.
Abada came through the academy at Maccabi Petah Tikva and made his debut as a 17-year-old. The winger made an instant impact, assisting two goals in only 37 minutes across his first two professional appearances.
He would go on to make 76 appearances across all competitions with 30 goal contributions, earning a high-profile move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Abada has ten caps for the Israel national team since debuting in 2021. The winger featured extensively for Israel’s youth national teams, including at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He also helped Israel qualify for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where Israel finished fourth, a federation best, despite Abada missing out on the final tournament due to being with the senior team.
Transaction: Charlotte FC acquires forward Liel Abada from Celtic FC as a Young Designated Player
Name: Liel Abada
Position: Forward
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 150
Date of Birth: October 3, 2001
Age: 22
Hometown: Petah Tikva, Israel
Last Club: Celtic FC
How Acquired: Acquired from Celtic FC
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