New England Revolution and Israeli National Team teammates Ilay Feingold and Dor Turgeman have found a warm welcome in Foxborough.

“At almost every game, there are fans with Israeli flags and some of them speak Hebrew,” said Feingold, a 21-year-old center back/right back from Netanya who joined the Revolution last season. “It’s been very exciting, and I’ve enjoyed every moment here with the club.”

Turgeman, a 22-year-old forward from Ashdod, joined the team late last season and made Revolution history by becoming its first player to score in each of his first three games.

“It was a really happy thing for me to start my career in New England like that and to help the team to win,” Turgeman said.

As of this writing, the Revolution (9-6-3) trail only Nashville Soccer Club and Inter Miami in Major League Soccer’s 15-team Eastern Division.

Despite the friendly reception in Foxborough, it hasn’t been that way everywhere as Turgeman scored a goal during an away game against CF Montreal at Saputo Stadium on August 1. Fans verbally abused Turgeman with antisemitic chants and also threw cans onto the field. Both FC Montreal and the New England Revolution condemned the fan behavior, with MLS opening a formal investigation into it.

“The club does not tolerate discrimination, or hateful behavior of any kind,” the statement read. “We take these allegations very seriously and are currently reviewing the matter. We are in contact with MLS and the New England Revolution as we work to establish all the facts and take the necessary actions,” CD Montreal wrote in a statement.

In a statement, the Revolution called the incident antisemitic.

“The Revolution strongly condemn the antisemitic and discriminatory abuse directed at forward Dor Turgeman by CF Montreal supporters during Saturday’s away match. The club immediately reported the incident to Major League Soccer and has fully supported the investigation. We appreciate MLS’ swift response and commitment to addressing incidents of discrimination. We are hopeful that those responsible will be held accountable for their unacceptable actions.

“There is zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, or discrimination in our game, and this behavior must be unequivocally condemned. The entire Revolution organization stands with Dor. No player should ever be subjected to abuse because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or identity. Antisemitism and all forms of hate have no place in our sport, our stadiums, or our communities.”

The Revolution was one of MLS’ 10 original teams when the league started in 1996. The league has tripled in size since then. New England has never won the championship, but has reached the MLS Cup finals five times – all between 2002 and 2014. The franchise is looking to return to the playoffs for the second time in four years this season.

Feingold, who played for Maccabi Haifa from 2020-2023, had a chance to meet with Revolution owner Robert Kraft, a strong supporter of Israel, when he signed with the team last season.

“Maccabi Haifa is the best club in Israel, with great history and fans,” Feingold said. “One day, I hope to play for them again. There was an adjustment with playing in the United States, but everyone’s been helpful. It feels like home for me right now.”

Feingold, who turns 22 years old on August 23, has played in nine games this season, starting eight of them, with a goal and an assist. He’s played for Team Israel since 2019 when he was on the U16 team.

“It’s a big honor to represent my family and country,” Feingold said.

Turgeman, who has started all 11 games this season, has four goals and four assists.

“I knew all about the Revolution and MLS before I arrived, from speaking with my national team teammate, Ilay,” Turgeman said. “It’s very exciting, and I appreciate all of the support from the fans. This is a great opportunity to develop my game and to compete at a high level.”

Turgeman played for Maccabi Tel Aviv from 2020-2025, scoring 24 goals over the span of 80 games. He’s played for Team Israel since 2019 when he was on the U17 team and has scored 12 goals for the national team.

“Maccabi Tel Aviv is a club that every young kid in Israel dreams to play for, and it was a big honor to win trophies for this club,” Turgeman said.

During the offseason, Feingold and Turgeman had an opportunity to watch the New England Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers in a playoff game at Gillette Stadium.

“American football is a great game with a great atmosphere,” Feingold said. “I knew about American football when I lived in Israel, but I didn’t know the rules. Now, I really like the game.”

Feingold said he enjoyed having the World Cup come to Foxborough this summer.

“I couldn’t wait to go to games to see the biggest players in the world and the top level of soccer,” Feingold said. Θ