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Graduated from the FIFA Master nearly 10 years ago, in 2005, the Israeli Ophir Zardok, 40, has had an impressive career, excelling in different fields in the sports industry.

Ophir studied industrial engineering at university and started his career working for global technology companies in different roles. When he decided to extend his education and take a master’s degree, he looked for something he felt really passionate about. “I wanted something with international flavour and academically challenging. The FIFA Master ticked all the boxes compared to any other programme I had on my list”, he says.

As a final dissertation for the course, Ophir and his group worked on a project that is still talked about and remembered to this day – even more so because Ophir managed actually implement the project in “real life”. The so called Football Village of Hope (FVH) - an initiative with the purpose to create bridges and bring Israeli and Palestinian kids together through sport - lasted for three years and received coverage from news powerhouses such as CNN. “The idea for that came to me in Leicester, in the first ‘Humanities of Sports’ module. We have learned so much about sports from different angles and it inspired me that sports can be a great mediator tool between two parties in order to bring them together and break barriers of culture, language and mistrust”, Ophir explains.

When talking about the FIFA Master, Ophir can’t choose one single best moment. “The whole year is an unbelievable experience, whether you talk about the academic side, or about making friends, traveling around different countries and meeting so many cool people in the sports industry”.

Shortly after graduation, Ophir joined the Irish football club Drogheda United. He recalls: “I went to Ireland only because my beloved second half had found a very good job there. When I arrived there, I did a couple of projects to build my reputation within the football industry and then was approached by the owners of Drogheda United FC. They asked me to join the club as Operations Director and after six months of very hard work I became the General Manager of the club”. Ophir worked at DUFC for four years, and during that period they won the FAI Cup, the Setanta Cup and the League for the first time – which led them to play in the preliminary stages of the UEFA Champions League. “I still remember this period as one of my best of my life”, he says. “There were so many challenges, ups and downs, but the bottom line was very positive. I think every sports fan should try and work for a sports club at least once in their lifetime. You live your work days and nights, weekends and holidays. There is so much uncertainty, but when success comes, it fills you with delight and makes you feel very accomplished”.

After the experience at DUFC, Ophir decided to invest in an entrepreneurial career. Today he is the founder and CEO of a technology company called Evento - an online ticketing solution leveraging on the reach of social media.

FMA Quarterly: After achieving success as general manager at a football club, what led you to completely change your career path? How has that developed so far?

Ophir Zardok: When I left Ireland and returned to Israel I took the role of Venue Director at UEFA for competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League, taking part in the organisation of matches all over Europe. In the past decade, I helped organise over 100 football matches, whether at Drogheda United or UEFA. From that experience I have learned that selling out tickets for a match every other week is a major challenge for sports teams, albeit many of them have very strong presence in the social media channels. Taking into account that events are social, it only makes sense to promote these events over social media. I found at the time that there was no one platform in which they could create, promote and sell their tickets leveraging on that potential, so I took the challenge and established Evento. After just over three years, we work with teams from the NBA, NHL, MLS, rugby teams and also recently signed a contract with a big Broadway promoter. I think that it was just about putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. 

FMAQ: What was the main benefit from having done the FIFA Master?

OZ: For me the FIFA Master alumni and some of the professors, with whom I am still touch with until today, are like a family to me. That also gives great network and platform to promote different ideas, concepts and opportunities. 

FMAQ: How did you eventually implement the FVH?

OZ: After graduating from the FIFA Master I had everything I needed to implement this project from the theoretical point of view. To make a long story short, I had to build the right connections between dozen of stakeholders and push it forward. I was lucky to meet Mr. Milo Corcaran – former FAI president and chairman of the Setanta Cup, a competition that brings Irish and Northern Irish clubs to one competition. Without a doubt, he was the main supporter (and then partner) of the project. Together, we travelled to meet so many people around Europe, Palestine and Israel. Eventually, we managed to get it financed by the Irish Government, Irish FA and Umbro Ireland. We also found partners (operational and political support) in Palestine (through the Al Quads) and in Israel (via The Peres Center for Peace).

FMAQ: What advice would you give to those currently doing the course?

OZ: Take advantage of the this year to build friendships, network and be open for different cultures.

Short profile

Full name: Ophir Zardok Shemer

Birthday: September 1st, 1974 

City of birth: Haifa, Israel 

Marital status: married to Hadas and have 3 kids – Eli, 7 years old, Omer, 4 years old and Naama 3 months. 

Favourite sport: football (soccer)

Favourite team: Maccabi Haifa FC

Most memorable sporting moment: When I was the GM of Drogheda United we drew 1-1 in Kiev, against Dynamo. In the 90th minute our captain missed a shot when he was face to face with their keeper. Had he scored the goal, we would have qualified to the UEFA Champions League group stage.