Salim Tuama

Salim Tuama (Arabic: سليم طعمه‎, Hebrew: סלים טועמה‎; born August 9, 1979, in Lod, Israel) is an Arab Israeli soccer player. He is a midfielder playing for Maccabi Sha'arayim who has in the past played for Hapoel Tel Aviv, Standard Liège, Maccabi Petah Tikva, Kayserispor, Larissa, Hapoel Bnei Lod and the youth club Gadna Tel Aviv Yehuda.

Career

Tuama has lived his entire life in the city of Lod, yet began his career using the facilities of the Gadna club due to the poor conditions of the local fields and football schools in Lod.

Tuama became the hottest prospect in Israeli football in the 1998–99 season when he, along with wonderkids Kfir Udi, Omri Afek, and Pini Balili, all of whom had been harvested by renowned Israeli manager Dror Kashtan, led Hapoel to their first State Cup title since 1983, following by a double on the next season 1999–2000.

He also played a main role in the historic appearance of Hapoel Tel Aviv in the quarterfinals of the 2001–02 UEFA Cup where they were finally taken down by AC Milan.