"Welcome to a whole new league. Bayern Munich isn’t just a club; it’s a powerhouse, easily top 3 in the history of the game. We’re talking mega budgets, endless manpower, and a level of professionalism that nails down every single detail. For instance, we've got four gyms packed with every piece of equipment you could dream of. Personal attention is taken to the extreme here – every exercise, every rep, someone's right there making sure you nail it perfectly. No shortcuts, no compromises.”
Daniel Peretz’s journey is the stuff of dreams for any Israeli sports documentarian. One moment you're playing backgammon in Kiryat Shalom, the next you're rubbing shoulders with Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller on the Allianz Arena pitch. And it's all wrapped in a glitzy package: a private jet sent by the German luxury club to Israel, whisking our hero and his famous pop star partner to a destination that seemed like a fantasy for an Israeli soccer player until now.
Five million euros might not be a huge amount for Bayern Munich, but if a club of this caliber decides to buy a young player, especially from Israel, you can bet they’ve done their homework.
Peretz knew he wasn’t going to be the first-choice goalkeeper in his debut season, so he made sure to soak up every moment, learning from the best. Although he didn’t get many opportunities, the young keeper is now in an excellent starting position with the title “Bayern Munich player.” Even if he’s loaned out, it’ll likely be to a top-tier club. And make no mistake, if you ask him, he’ll tell you he’s ready to deliver on his promise. At Bayern. Tomorrow.
But, as mentioned, it’s not just up to him. Meanwhile, before knowing where he’ll play next season, the goalkeeper is set for another milestone in his young career in three weeks when he takes the field as captain at Parc des Princes for the under-23 national team’s opening match in the Olympic tournament against Mali.
"I called Noa quickly"
In an extensive interview with Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynet, Peretz talks for the first time about the move that got the whole country buzzing, his new life in Germany, the shock of stepping onto the Allianz Arena pitch for the first time, his special bond with one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world, the possibility of replacing him someday, the challenges along the way, his high-profile relationship with music star Noa Kirel, the moving support from the club after October 7, and his belief that the Olympic team can come back from Paris with a medal to lift the country’s spirits in these times.
Let’s rewind ten months. How did you feel when you realized it was really happening?
“Wow, I remember everything. I finished training, two days before a game. I saw a bunch of missed calls from my agent. I called him back, and he said, ‘I sent you a document, check it out.’ It was the signed contract. There were rumors, but once it became official, it was a huge wow moment. I screamed in the car, I was so excited. I went to my parents, called Noa quickly. Those were stressful days for me because I was really looking forward to it. Chills that can't be explained. It took me a few weeks to digest that I am a Bayern Munich goalkeeper."
Were you worried about an injury that could shatter the dream at the last moment?
"This was undoubtedly one of the biggest mental challenges in my career, if not the biggest. At that time, there wasn’t five minutes without a message or a friend sending me an article from newspapers in Germany, England and Israel. Everyone was interested, wanted to know how I was dealing with the pressure. On the other hand, amidst all the madness, I had a mission to succeed with Maccabi Tel Aviv and advance to the group stage in Europe. It was important to me for the fans, the players, the coaches, and of course, myself to finish the job and stay professional until the end. To give my 100 percent and feel good about myself. So yes, it was very hard to come to every training and block out the noise. I had to maneuver, divide the energies, and I think I handled it very well."
You went to tell your parents, called Noa to share, but when you sit alone, can you digest that you are moving to one of the biggest clubs in the world?
"The truth is no, I couldn’t digest it. It’s a crazy leap. I didn’t know what to expect beyond the conversations with then-coach Thomas Tuchel. I didn’t know how it would be with the players, how I would cope physically, the level of training, etc. Complete uncertainty. Only after the first few weeks did I manage to understand where I am."
Suddenly, you realize you’re at the pinnacle of European soccer – the media, the luxury car, the fancy apartment. How does a 23-year-old from small Israel handle all this?
"There’s something in me that managed to neutralize everything, disconnect, an internal mechanism that kept me from getting dizzy. I love soccer, and that’s the main reason I came to Germany. I stayed true to pure professionalism – nutrition, how to be most prepared for training, constantly improving. I’m not one who loves all the noise around. I understand it’s part of the business, but I knew how to separate and stayed true to my path."
Tuchel's promise
You come to a club whose top goalkeeper is injured, and the second goalkeeper Sven Ulreich takes the reins at 35. What were your expectations with Tuchel?
"The talk was not about the first season, but looking ahead. Tuchel told me, 'Train well, look good, and you will be able to play. Neuer is injured, Ulreich is currently starting and he is playing well, but you can surpass him. When Neuer returns, we will see how things develop.' Ulreich really played well, and in the meantime, I trained hard. That’s soccer. You can get an opportunity out of nowhere, and I believe it will happen eventually. This season was not for nothing – I learned, I feel much more mature and a much better goalkeeper. I believe in God, everything he arranges is for my good. It's very hard for me to watch games from the side, but meanwhile, I try to get the best out of every situation."
"For me, he is the greatest goalkeeper in history. Even when I was a goalkeeper at the age of ten, he was my idol, there is no save of his that I haven’t seen. I watched hundreds of videos starring him, I know every move. I got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train with a goalkeeper of this level. He is also an amazing guy, we are very close friends, in touch even when I am in Israel. He received me so well both off the field and on the field, helped me with everything I needed. For any question I had, about the club or the city, he was always attentive and available."
In addition to Neuer, you suddenly find yourself in the locker room with names like Kane, Muller, Kimmich, Sane, and Musiala.
"At first, I was very excited because these are players I knew only from the games on television. From the very first second, they received me very well. When Muller saw me, he immediately said to me 'Welcome Daniel.' You don’t realize where you are at all, but after a few days, you understand that they are just human beings. Amazing and nice people, human quality is something the club emphasizes. As time passes, the excitement decreases because they become your friends. It's no longer seeing someone you admire on the street – you are part of them."
Who are you closest to?
"There are many. Apart from Neuer, I am in excellent contact with Gnabry, Kane, Musiala, and De Ligt. They are all good to me and we are friends beyond the team. It is really fun to experience this with such people."
Despite the dream run and the incredible journey he's been on, Peretz has only just begun to taste the real action. His debut season at Bayern Munich wraps up with just over 100 minutes between the posts, and anyone who fantasized about seeing him fly across the Champions League in his first season will need to be patient.
The goalkeeper isn't worried at all and is convinced that the limited playing time won't hamper his progress. "I hear this a lot, but there's no single path to success. In every situation, wherever I am, I know how to seize the elements that can elevate me," he asserts confidently.
"I understand what I can gain. I benefit from the best training in the world, with the best strikers, the best defenders, and the best attackers. I gain professionalism and personal attention beyond the on-field training – maximizing everything I can. Of course, there's no substitute for gaining experience through playing minutes, but I've gained many other things that have made me a more mature, better goalkeeper."
In other words, if tomorrow the new coach Vincent Kompany says, "You're the first-choice goalkeeper," would you feel ready?
"Absolutely, I have the tools to be Bayern's first-choice goalkeeper."
And what about next season?
"No decision has been made yet."
Where were you on that terrible morning of October 7?
"I had a break from the team, Noa and I went to a lake south of Munich. We wanted some peace after a crazy month for both of us – she had performances at Yarkon Park, I was dealing with the move to Germany, and we had a day and a half to rest. We woke up in the morning, didn't touch the phone, I saw the lake from the balcony. Then I took the phone and got a shock. I thought I was in a bad movie; the messages started flowing, you see horror videos. I told Noa I felt like a stab in the heart; we were anxious. We wondered if we were even safe here as known Israelis. Terrible uncertainty, immense pain, and no flights to and from Israel. Gradually, you grasp the magnitude of the disaster. It destroyed us."
How did the club react?
"First of all, they asked if my family and close friends were okay. I was very emotional that day, completely out of it, I wanted to be alone. Everyone was concerned, understood the situation, and didn't pry. The club quickly reached out, and there was nothing they didn't offer to help me. They explained that the city is very safe and that they would take care of everything I needed."
Were security guards assigned to you?
"They asked me. The club's security team checked my surroundings, but there was no need. In any case, I'm not one who roams the city a lot. Training-home, at most, a dinner. I wasn't in the mood for anything."
The solidarity shown by Bundesliga teams with Israel was moving – quite exceptional compared to other leagues in Europe.
"It's simply amazing. Beyond being Israeli, they cared for me as a person. They provided the support, a feeling of a real home. Immense pride to be in such a club. There was also tremendous support in the city. They encouraged me on the street, and many Israelis come to the games. Understand that a huge Israeli flag is hanging in the central square in Munich. I was most moved when I met with families of the abducted who came to visit, soldiers, and police officers. People look at us and admire us as soccer players, but they are the real heroes – they protect us, give us a sense of security. I admire each one of them for their sacrifice for the country."
Once in 50 years
In three days, the Olympic team will fly to a training camp in Poland, where they will make final preparations for the trip to Paris in two weeks. Peretz was chosen by coach Guy Luzon as one of the three overage players, along with Sean Goldberg and Omri Gandelman, and he will be the goalkeeper arriving from the most prestigious club for the tournament.
"Participating in the Olympics is a great pride," Peretz emphasizes. "People dream of this moment that hasn't happened for us in 50 years. Being part of this impressive tournament is a huge privilege. We saw in the Olympic preparation videos of athletes returning with a medal and bringing joy to the nation. It really burns in me to succeed with this team, to do good for our country in these tough times."
"I got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train with a goalkeeper of this level. He's also an amazing guy, we're very close friends, in touch even when I'm in Israel. He welcomed me so well both off the field and on the field, helped me with everything I needed."
As a hero of the young Euros, you earned your place in the national team as an overage player.
"The whole team was the hero. The teamwork, the unity. In the quarterfinals against Georgia, I was chosen as the man of the match, but until the penalties, they hardly shot at me, maybe one shot. Guy positioned us amazingly on the field. We gave our heart and soul, it's a huge team achievement. We got the chance to lift the national morale. We want to succeed as athletes, but this time, when you see the suffering in Israel and constantly hear bad news, the drive is multiplied. We must bring our amazing nation the medal. We want people to be happy here."
How fit are you coming in?
"It's funny to think there are criticisms about me going to Bayern and not playing. But that's their problem, I have my way and I don't care what they say. I will be Bayern's first-choice goalkeeper, I didn't sign for five years for nothing, it was the right choice for me. We have six preparation games, I will come to the Olympic tournament better than I was a year ago."
Try to explain this young generation that in one summer conquered the global top in two tournaments: third place in the U20 World Cup and semifinals in the Euros.
"In terms of talent, the Israeli player always had it. I see players older than me who didn't have the luck to go abroad. The success in the youth teams and the belief we had as a team pushed us upwards. The fact that we had great tournaments opened the door for us abroad. There were quality young teams better than us, but we had our way. Guy made us believe from the first second. We understood that our opponents were afraid of us, that they suffered against us. European soccer discovered the Israeli player. We proved that we have what it takes against players from the Bundesliga or the Premier League. Suddenly, they're paying high amounts for us because they realize the Israeli player isn't much different from European soccer."
Do you think you can replicate the success on the Olympic stage?
"We are going to bring a medal. It's far, but we have to dream. We will look at every game as a final. In general, playing at Parc des Princes is a childhood dream. A lot of it is in our heads. I have a mental coach, Eitan Azaria, who helps me a lot. If you don't believe and don't have a goal, you lose before the game even starts. We will come to look every opponent in the eye. The fact that they come from a renowned country doesn't mean they automatically win. Each of us will prove what he's worth."
You'll probably also have to deal with pro-Palestinian protests. How are you preparing for that?
"There's a wave against us all over the world, so it's clear it will reach the Olympics too. No anti-Israeli protest scares us, it only motivates us more. You want to come and show that you are here – we are most proud of our Israeli identity."
"A tough decision between me and Glazer"
We see what Switzerland and Romania are doing in the Euros. Could it be that the criticism of the Israeli national team for finishing only third in a "comfortable" group was exaggerated?
"They are excellent teams as we see, but if we don't expect from ourselves and don't dream, we won't reach anywhere. Currently, Switzerland and Romania are better than us in terms of results because they are in the Euros and we are not, but we can be in those places, I have no doubt."
Were Bayern surprised that you're not the first-choice goalkeeper in the national team?
"Of course, it's surprising to them, and they asked questions. Omri Glazer (First choice Israeli keeper who plays for Red Star Belgrade) and I are very close friends and have been in good contact for many years, we both grew up in Maccabi North, and he's an excellent goalkeeper. Sometimes it's a matter of timing, he got an opportunity and took it. I deserve more opportunities to show myself, but I believe my time will come and there will be healthy competition. We have an excellent generation of goalkeepers. I haven't yet had a fair opportunity to prove what I'm worth in the national team. Now there's a new coach, I'll try to show him my best in training, and whatever he decides will be acceptable to me. What's certain is that he will have a tough decision between me and Glazer."
Finally, tell us a bit about your relationship with Noa Kirel.
"I love her the most in the world. She is very close to me, she has a huge impact on my life, on dealing with everything possible on this journey."