Examine individual changes

'{{short description|Israeli footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Nitrogen Bitton | image = 20170701 SK Rapid Wien vs Celtic FC 1742.jpg | caption = Bitton playing for [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] in 2017 | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|10|30|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Ashdod]], Israel | height = {{Height|m=1.94}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport5.co.il/articles.aspx?FolderID=64&docID=113812|title=ניר ביטון נחת. סוכנו: מנצ'סטר סיטי רוצה אותו|website=Sport5.co.il - אתר ערוץ הספורט}}</ref> | position = [[Midfielder|Defensive midfielder]] | currentclub = [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] | clubnumber = 6 | youthyears1 = 1997–2009 | youthclubs1 = [[F.C. Ashdod|Ashdod]] | years1 = 2009–2013 | clubs1 = [[F.C. Ashdod|Ashdod]] | caps1 = 123 | goals1 = 34 | years2 = 2013– | clubs2 = [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] | caps2 = 152 | goals2 = 9 | nationalyears1 = 2008 | nationalyears2 = 2009 | nationalyears3 = 2009 | nationalyears4 = 2010–2013 | nationalyears5 = 2010– | nationalteam1 = [[Israel national under-17 football team|Israel U17]] | nationalteam2 = [[Israel national under-18 football team|Israel U18]] | nationalteam3 = [[Israel national under-19 football team|Israel U19]] | nationalteam4 = [[Israel national under-21 football team|Israel U21]] | nationalteam5 = [[Israel national football team|Israel]] | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalcaps2 = 2 | nationalcaps3 = 15 | nationalcaps4 = 22 | nationalcaps5 = 30 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | nationalgoals4 = 2 | nationalgoals5 = 2 | club-update = 22:14, 23 January 2021 (UTC) | nationalteam-update = 8 October 2020 }}[[File:Nir_Biton_Euro_U-21_2013.jpg|thumb|Bitton during the [[2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship]] that was hosted in [[Israel]]]] '''Nir Bitton''' (or Biton,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.football.org.il/en/national-team-player/?player_id=2243|title=football - Nir BITON|website=www.football.org.il}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.footballdatabase.eu/en/player/details/67191|title=Nir Biton - Celtic Glasgow - Stats - titles won|website=www.footballdatabase.eu}}</ref><ref>https://www.uefa.com/under21/photos/photoid=1959948.html</ref> {{lang-he|ניר ביטון}}; born 30 October 1991) is an Israeli professional [[association football|footballer]] who plays as either a [[Midfielder|defensive midfielder]] or [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|centre-back]] for [[Scottish Premiership (association football)|Scottish Premiership]] club [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] and the [[Israel national football team|Israel national team]]. Prior to his professional football career, he completed [[conscription in Israel|mandatory military service]] in the [[Israel Defense Forces]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/16245715.stewart-fisher-celtics-nir-bitton-is-right-you-shouldnt-mix-politics-and-football/|title=Stewart Fisher: Celtic's Nir Bitton is right - you shouldn't mix politics and football|website=HeraldScotland|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> ==Early life== Bitton was born in [[Ashdod, Israel]], to a [[Sephardic Jewish]] family.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/sport/football/celtic-hibs-ofir-marciano-nir-15774917|title=S'appenin' Bitton? Ofir Marciano looking forward to facing close friend|first=Ross|last=Pilcher|date=3 February 2019|website=edinburghlive}}</ref> He served as a soldier in the [[Israel Defense Forces]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://the18.com/news/nir-bitton-stalwart-celtic-and-israel|title=Meet The 24-Year-Old Celtic Midfielder Who's Been Compared To Sergio Busquets|website=The18|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> ==Club career== ===Ashdod=== Bitton broke into the first team of his home-town club [[F.C. Ashdod]] at the age of 17, and went on to make over 100 appearances.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nir Bitton|url=http://www.celticfc.net/team/151|website=Celtic FC|access-date=30 August 2016}}</ref> ===Celtic=== On 30 August 2013, Bitton signed a four-year deal with [[Scottish Premiership]] club [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]], for a fee of around £700,000 and a 20% sell-on clause from [[Israeli Premier League]] club Ashdod.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/4509?item=4509|title=Celtic sign Israeli star, Nir Biton|publisher=Celtic FC|date=30 August 2013|access-date=30 August 2013}}</ref> He made his debut for the club on 18 September, in a [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] group stage match against [[AC Milan]], coming into the game as a late substitute in the 89th minute.<ref name="1314s">{{cite web|title=Games Involving Biton, Nir in season 2013/2014|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player_games.php?playerid=6657&page=2|publisher=FitbaStats|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=0-2 Vs AC Milan in UEFA Champions League (18/09/2013)|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/game.php?gameid=85281|publisher=FitbaStats|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref> Three weeks later he made another Champions League appearance for Celtic, coming as a 77th-minute substitute against [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] on 22 October, but was sent off eleven minutes later for a late tackle on [[Thulani Serero]].<ref name="1314s" /> The resulting suspension and a few niggling injuries hindered Bitton's efforts to establish himself in the team,<ref name="etfeb14">{{cite web|last=Cully|first=Ronnie|title=Biton out for Celtic shot at glory|url=http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/celtic/biton-out-for-celtic-shot-at-glory-151945n.23426029|publisher=Evening Times|access-date=1 September 2014|date=13 February 2014}}</ref> but he still managed to make a total of 20 appearances for Celtic by the end of his first season there.<ref name="fbc">{{cite web|title=Biton, Nir|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/celtic/player.php?playerid=6657|publisher=FitbaStats|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref> Celtic won their third successive league title, and Bitton's 15 league appearances saw him pick up his first major honour.<ref name="etfeb14" /><ref name="sway">{{cite web|title=N. Biton|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/nir-biton/91988/|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref> In the 2014–15 season, Bitton scored in Celtic's first league match of the season from the penalty spot after a controversial red card for [[St Johnstone F.C.|St Johnstone]] defender [[Dave Mackay (footballer, born 1980)|Dave Mackay]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Burns|first1=Cheri|title=St Johnstone 0 - 3 Celtic|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28670295|access-date=3 November 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=13 August 2015}}</ref> Celtic winger [[Derk Boerrigter]] was later given a 3-match ban for simulation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Derk Boerrigter accepts two-match ban for 'simulation'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28842098|access-date=3 November 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=18 August 2014}}</ref> Later in the season, Bitton scored a stunning 30-yard goal against [[Dundee F.C.|Dundee.]] in a 5–0 win.<ref>{{cite news|title=See Bitton hit wonder goal as Celtic edge closer to title with 5-0 win|url=http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/celtic/319195-watch-celtics-nir-bitton-hit-wonder-goal-in-5-0-win-over-dundee/|access-date=3 November 2015|work=STV Sport|date=2 May 2015}}</ref> He scored another long distance strike on 12 August 2015, netting from 25 yards into the top corner in a 2–2 draw with [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Campbell|first=Andy|title=Kilmarnock 2 - 2 Celtic|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33783337|access-date=3 November 2015|work=BBC Sport|date=12 August 2015}}</ref> To begin the [[2015–16 Celtic F.C. season|2015–16 season]], on 19 August 2015, Bitton scored against Swedish side [[Malmö FF]] in a 3–2 win at [[Celtic Park]] in the first leg of the [[2015–16 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round#Third qualifying round|Champions League playoffs]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Celtic on top but Berget gives Malmö hope|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2016/matches/round=2000633/match=2015647/postmatch/index.html|access-date=20 August 2015|publisher=UEFA|date=19 August 2015}}</ref> On 2 November 2015, Bitton was signed a new contract which would keep him at Celtic until the summer of 2020,<ref>{{cite news|title=Bitton signs contract until 2020 with Scottish champions|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/34703851|date=2 November 2015|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2 November 2015}}</ref> and again on 16 December 2019 he extended his contract up to 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Celtic: Nir Bitton signs contract extension until 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50813188 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=18 December 2020}}</ref> ==International career== In 2009, Bitton was selected to represent Israel at the [[2009 Maccabiah Games]], and the team won a bronze medal.<ref>{{cite web |title=סגלי נבחרות ישראל לטורניר הכדורגל של המכביה |url=http://football.org.il/Archive/Articles/Pages/NationalTeamsJune24_2009.aspx |publisher=Israel Football Association |date=9 July 2009 |access-date=12 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629062609/http://football.org.il/Archive/Articles/Pages/NationalTeamsJune24_2009.aspx |archive-date=29 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He played in the only [[Israel national under-21 football team|Israel U-21]] team to qualify for the [[2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship|UEFA European U21 Championship]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web | title=England Crushed by Israel's Winning Goal in Jerusalem (Video) | url=https://www.jewishpress.com/blogs/cifwatch/england-crushed-by-israels-winning-goal-in-jerusalem-video/2013/06/12/| work=[[Jewish Press]] | date=12 June 2013 | access-date=22 May 2019}}</ref> He made his senior debut for [[Israel national football team|Israel]] in a friendly match against [[Uruguay national football team|Uruguay]] on 26 May 2010. Bitton played a major role in qualifying games for the [[2016 UEFA Euro]] Tournament.<ref name="NFT">{{cite web|title=Nir Biton|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/38234/Nir_Biton.html|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=1 September 2014}}</ref> He scored his first goal for the national team against [[Andorra national football team|Andorra]] in a 4–0 victory On 3 September 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Israel back on track after Andorra stroll|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/qualifiers/season=2016/matches/round=2000446/match=2013975/index.html|publisher=[[UEFA]]|access-date=3 September 2015}}</ref> ==Personal life== He was married to his Israeli girlfriend Bar ({{nee}} Shimon) in 2014, and the couple have two children Emma and Tom.<ref>https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/israeli-celtic-star-nir-bitton-and-his-wife-subject-to-torrent-of-online-abuse/</ref><ref>https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celtic-star-nir-bittons-wife-22828160</ref> ==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|23 January 2021}}<ref>{{soccerbase|65150}}</ref><ref name="sway"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Nir Biton Israel Football Association profile|url=http://www.football.org.il/en/players/player/?player_id=2243|publisher=Israel Football Association|access-date=1 September 2019}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- |rowspan="7"|[[F.C. Ashdod|Ashdod]]<ref group=lower-roman>National Cup and League Cup appearances for F.C. Ashdod unknown</ref> |[[2008–09 Israeli Premier League|2008–09]] |[[Israeli Premier League]] |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |[[2009–10 Israeli Premier League|2009–10]] |Israeli Premier League |20||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||20||1 |- |[[2010–11 Israeli Premier League|2010–11]] |Israeli Premier League |34||5||0||0||0||0||0||0||34||5 |- |[[2011–12 Israeli Premier League|2011–12]] |Israeli Premier League |36||4||0||0||0||0||0||0||36||4 |- |[[2012–13 Israeli Premier League|2012–13]] |Israeli Premier League |31||4||0||0||1||0||0||0||32||4 |- |[[2013–14 Israeli Premier League|2013–14]] |Israeli Premier League |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !123!!14!!0!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!124!!14 |- |rowspan="9"|[[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] |[[2013–14 Celtic F.C. season|2013–14]] |[[Scottish Premiership]] |15||0||1||0||1||0||3<ref group=lower-alpha name=UCL>Appearances in the [[UEFA Champions League]]</ref>||0||20||0 |- |[[2014–15 Celtic F.C. season|2014–15]] |Scottish Premiership |31||2||5||0||2||0||5<ref group=lower-alpha>Two appearances in the UEFA Champions League and three appearances in the [[UEFA Europa League]]</ref>||0||43||2 |- |[[2015–16 Celtic F.C. season|2015–16]] |Scottish Premiership |30||5||3||0||2||0||11<ref group=lower-alpha>Six appearances and two goals in the UEFA Champions League and five appearances and one goal in the UEFA Europa League</ref>||3||46||8 |- |[[2016–17 Celtic F.C. season|2016–17]] |Scottish Premiership |26||1||3||0||2||0||8<ref group=lower-alpha name=UCL/>||1||39||2 |- |[[2017–18 Celtic F.C. season|2017–18]] |Scottish Premiership |14||0||1||0||2||0||6<ref group=lower-alpha name=UCL/>||0||23||0 |- |[[2018–19 Celtic F.C. season|2018–19]] |Scottish Premiership |7||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||10||0 |- |[[2019–20 Celtic F.C. season|2019–20]] |Scottish Premiership |15||0||3||0||2||0||11<ref group=lower-alpha>Five appearances in the UEFA Champions League and six appearances in the UEFA Europa League</ref>||0||31||0 |- |[[2020–21 Celtic F.C. season|2020–21]] |Scottish Premiership |11||1||0||0||1||0||6<ref group=lower-alpha>One appearance in the UEFA Champions League and five appearances in the UEFA Europa League</ref>||0||18||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !149!!9!!19!!0!!12!!0!!50!!4!!230!!13 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !272||23||19||0||13||0||50||4||354||27 |} {{reflist|group=lower-roman}} {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} ===International goals=== :''Scores and results list Israel's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bitton goal''.<ref name="NFT"/> {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Nir Bitton |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- | align="center"|1 || 3 September 2015 || [[Sammy Ofer Stadium]], [[Haifa]], Israel || {{fb|AND}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|4–0 || [[UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group B|UEFA Euro 2016 qualification]] |- | align="center"|2 || 10 October 2015 || [[Teddy Stadium]], [[Jerusalem]], Israel || {{fb|CYP}} || align="center"|1–1 || align="center"|1–2 || UEFA Euro 2016 qualification |} ==Honours== ===Club=== '''Celtic'''<ref name="sway"/> *[[Scottish Premiership]] (7): [[2013-14 Scottish Premiership|2013–14]], [[2014–15 Scottish Premiership|2014–15]], [[2015–16 Scottish Premiership|2015–16]], [[2016–17 Scottish Premiership|2016–17]], [[2017–18 Scottish Premiership|2017–18]], [[2018–19 Scottish Premiership|2018–19]], [[2019–20 Scottish Premiership|2019–20]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52646282|title=Celtic champions & Hearts relegated after SPFL ends season|work=BBC Sport|date=18 May 2020|access-date=18 May 2020}}</ref> *[[Scottish Cup]] (4): [[2016–17 Scottish Cup|2016–17]], [[2017–18 Scottish Cup|2017–18]], [[2018–19 Scottish Cup|2018–19]], [[2019–20 Scottish Cup|2019–20]]<ref name=cup20>[https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/dec/20/celtic-hearts-scottish-cup-final-match-report Celtic win fourth straight Scottish Cup as Hazard's shootout saves break Hearts], Ewan Murray, The Guardian, 20 December 2020 </ref> *[[Scottish League Cup]] (5): [[2014–15 Scottish League Cup|2014–15]], [[2016–17 Scottish League Cup|2016–17]], [[2017–18 Scottish League Cup|2017–18]], [[2018–19 Scottish League Cup|2018–19]], [[2019–20 Scottish League Cup|2019–20]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50672183 | title=Rangers 0 – 1 Celtic | publisher=BBC Sport | access-date=8 December 2019 |date=8 December 2019}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{CelticFC.net|team/151}} * {{IFA national player|2243}} * {{Soccerway|nir-biton/91988}} * {{FootballDatabase.eu|67191}} {{Celtic F.C. squad}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Bitton, Nir}} [[Category:1991 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Israeli Jews]] [[Category:Jewish footballers]] [[Category:Israeli footballers]] [[Category:F.C. Ashdod players]] [[Category:Celtic F.C. players]] [[Category:Israeli expatriate footballers]] [[Category:Israeli Premier League players]] [[Category:Scottish Professional Football League players]] [[Category:Israeli expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]] [[Category:Expatriate footballers in Scotland]] [[Category:Maccabiah Games medalists in football]] [[Category:Maccabiah Games bronze medalists for Israel]] [[Category:Football players from Ashdod]] [[Category:Israel under-21 international footballers]] [[Category:Israel international footballers]] [[Category:Association football midfielders]] [[Category:Sephardi Jews]] [[Category:Mizrahi Jews]]'