Two local ex-Leeds Maccabi lads recently earned the chance to represent their country.
When Oscar Popplewell and Jacob Silberstein first had a kickabout at Deborah Taylor Nursery, no one would’ve thought that a decade later the two friends would be pulling on England shirts together. But that’s just what happened recently when the two 14-year- olds faced Welsh Schoolboys in a full ISFA international fixture, complete with caps.
The lads had already been on a long journey together, from playing together at nursery, through Brodetsky Primary School then Leeds Maccabi under-sevens. Oscar’s father, Mark, who coached that early Maccabi side, remembers an unbeaten run through two seasons: “It was just a really good year group. They didn’t lose a game.”
Now pupils at the Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL), Oscar and Jacob were selected for their school’s team in the Independent Schools FA (ISFA) National Cup. From there, scouts picked them for the Yorkshire and North East regional side, and then – following a counties tournament – they were named in a 40-strong ISFA England development squad. A series of warm-up fixtures against top academies followed, including Arsenal, Southampton, and Leeds United. This last one had a bit of an edge as both boys are lifelong Leeds fans and season-ticket holders. Leeds’ own academy had not selected them, so when the sides met in the ISFA competition, Oscar and Jacob both took particular satisfaction in scoring!
The bond shared by the boys goes beyond sport. They both celebrated their Bar Mitzvahs last year and, being inseparable, each gave the other’s speech – inevitably, with plenty of football content.
Mark’s pride is evident when he speaks about Oscar and Jacob and he has high hopes for them: “It’s just a really nice story. Aside from Manor Solomon, there aren’t that many well-known Jewish footballers. And here we’ve got these two best friends who’ve gone all this way together. It’s just chance that they are both at this level and they’ve known each other since before they could even kick a ball.”
Oscar has his eye on a football scholarship to an American university, a path that other boys from the ISFA programme have taken before him, while Jacob, who is equally talented at rugby, is still weighing his options.
For now though, the two mates from North Leeds are focused on what’s right in front of them, to continue playing side by side.
