Orian Goren becomes first Israeli named to El Clásico squad

The 17-year-old midfielder remained an unused substitute as Barcelona fell 2-1 to Real Madrid.

Eneko Aguilar of CE Sabadell FC competes for the ball with Orian Goren of FC Barcelona Atletic during the Copa Catalunya Final match between CE Sabadell FC and FC Barcelona Atletic at Estadio Nova Creu Alta on Sept. 2, 2026 in Sabadell, Spain. Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images.

(Oct. 26, 2026 / JNS)

Israeli midfielder Orian Goren, 17, became the first Israeli player named to an El Clásico squad on Sunday, according to Israeli media, remaining an unused substitute as FC Barcelona lost 2-1 at home to Real Madrid.

Kylian Mbappé scored both goals for Real Madrid, including the late winner, while Raphinha scored Barcelona’s lone goal. The result cut Barcelona’s advantage over Madrid in Spain’s La Liga to three points.

Sunday marked Goren’s first inclusion in Barcelona’s senior squad for a competitive match. He had previously played in preseason games and was among the academy players presented at the Joan Gamper Trophy.

Goren, who was born in the central Israeli town of Savyon, joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy in 2023 from Maccabi Petah Tikva and now plays for the club’s reserve team, Barça Atlètic.

Goren recently made his debut for Israel’s under-21 national team and has become a regular starter for Barça Atlètic, coached by former Barcelona defender Juliano Belletti, according to Spanish sports daily Mundo Deportivo.

Israel’s youth soccer teams have also achieved international success, with the under-19 side reaching its first European Championship final in 2022.

His call-up followed an injury to midfielder Dani Olmo. Goren had participated in Barcelona’s preseason preparations and trained with the first team ahead of Sunday’s match.