| Intro | Israeli footballer |
| Is |
Athlete Football player Association football player |
| From |
Ethiopia Israel |
| Type | Sports |
| Gender | male |
| Birth |
28 March 1982, Ethiopia |
| Age | 38 years |
Baruch Dego (Hebrew: ברוך דגו; born 28 March 1982) is an Ethiopian-born Israeli footballer. He currently plays for Hapoel Ashkelon in Israel’s Liga Leumit.
Career
Dego, who grew up in Maccabi Ironi Ashdod F.C., was transferred to Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in 2000/01, and won a championship and three national trophies. In 2004/05, he was the only player to score for Maccabi in the UEFA Champions League group stage. He scored two goals against Ajax Amsterdam in the local win 2–1, one goal from penalty against Juventus (1–1) and another penalty goal at Bayern Munich (5–1 to Bayern).
Maccabi’s fans saw Dego as one of the main reasons for Maccabi beloved captain Avi Nimni’s dismissal in August 2003, and when Dego’s adoptive father, David Tshuva, spoke to the press against Maccabi the fans called Dego to leave to the city rival. After the 2004/05 season, he did that and transferred to Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
After spending 3 seasons with Hapoel Tel-Aviv winning two more Israeli State Cup he moved to Maccabi Natanya that at the time was coached by German legend Lothar Matthäus where he lasted only couple of months and playing only one official match before he was released by the club and signed a two-year contract with his youth club F.C. Ashdod not able to show the same ability from the start of his career. Until at January 2010 transfer window he reunited with his former coach Nir Klinger at Nea Salamis Famagusta FC.
On 28 May Apollon Limassol announced that Dego signed a two-year contract with the club. Dego has reunited with his former Maccabi Tel Aviv attack partner Aldo Adorno with whom he played with during the 2003–2004 season.
On 6 July 2011, he joined Ironi Ramat HaSharon. He was released in the middle of the 2012–13 season, and subsequently signed a contract to play for Hapoel Rishon LeZion of Israel’s second league until the end of the season, with the hope of helping them to move up a league to Israel’s top league for the next season.
Personal life
Baruch younger brother Messay is also a footballer.
Honours
Club
- Israeli Premier League (1):2002–03
- Israel State Cup(2):2001, 2002
- Israel State Cup (3): 2005, 2006, 2007
Individual
- Footballer of the Year in Israel: 2003