Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gadi Kinda has been selected to the Israel Men’s National Team for UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying during the FIFA window in October.
Returning to Europe this month after previously joining his country in September, Kinda is part of an Israel side that will host Switzerland on Oct. 12 and travel to face Kosovo on Oct. 15. He will be available for Sporting's road match against Real Salt Lake on Saturday prior to venturing overseas for international duty.
Israel Match Schedule: UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifying
- Thursday, Oct. 12 | vs. Switzerland | 1:45 p.m. CT | Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv
- Sunday, Oct. 15 | at Kosovo | 1:45 p.m. CT | Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Prishtina
Kinda has earned five career caps for Israel, last appearing in a FIFA World Cup qualifier on Oct. 12, 2021. He was named to the national team last month for the first time in almost two years and was an unused substitute in a 1-1 draw at Romania and a 1-0 home win against Belarus.
Kinda punctuated his Israel debut with a sensational long-range goal in a 3-1 friendly win at Montenegro on June 5, 2021, and made his first start for the team four days later in a friendly defeat at European powerhouse Portugal.
With boosted expectations after earning promotion to 2024-25 UEFA Nations League A last year, Israel is aiming to qualify for the European Championship for the first time since becoming a UEFA member in 1994. Euro 2024 will involve 24 teams, including the top two finishers across 10 qualifying groups, hosts Germany and another three nations that will advance through a playoff round. Israel currently occupies third place in Group I, three points behind leaders Switzerland and one point behind Romania. Group stage action will conclude in November, followed by the playoff round in March 2024.
Kinda has recorded 15 goals and 17 assists in 74 competitive appearances for Sporting since arriving in January 2020 from Israeli Premier League side Beitar Jerusalem. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Israel, he spent the first nine seasons of his professional career competing in Israel’s top two divisions, including an eight-year spell at hometown club Ashdod.
Kinda helped Sporting to first place in the Western Conference in 2020 and a third-place finish in 2021 before missing all of 2022 with a knee injury. He returned to competitive action in April for his first of 23 appearances in 2023. The talented midfielder has four goals and five assists this season in all competitions, including a dramatic winner in a 1-0 victory at Minnesota United FC on Sept. 16 that boosted Sporting's playoff hopes.
Sporting will travel west to face Real Salt Lake on Saturday in the club's final regular season road match of the 2023 campaign. Kickoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. CT at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, with live coverage on Apple TV for MLS Season Pass subscribers, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.
