This is one of those stories that gets lost in the shorthand version of "Israel was kicked out of Asian football." The nuance you pulled out — that the expulsion vote actually fell short of the two-thirds majority, and they just achieved the same outcome through a backdoor resolution — is the part most people never hear.

And the Spiegler detail ties it together perfectly. Same player, 1964 continental title and the only World Cup goal Israel has ever scored, six years apart. That's not a coincidence worth glossing over.

Do you think Israel would've stayed competitive in Asia long-term if the politics hadn't intervened, or was UEFA always the more natural home for them?