Sebastian Hernandez, Peruvian soccer player in the Israeli army, gives a raw testimony: "I prepare weapons."

In these moments of great tension, Depor had the opportunity to interview the football player from Hapoel Kfar Shalem, whose transfer belongs to Hapoel Tel Aviv FC, one of the most prominent institutions in Israeli football. Hernández explained that currently, football, like practically all activities in Israel, is paralyzed. In addition, due to being on military service, he has had to change his jerseys and shorts for the army uniform.

"We are here with my brothers from the army, doing everything within our reach. At the moment, football in the country is suspended, and I am fulfilling my duty in the army, supporting as much as I can. I have to be with the soldiers. Even some friends from the world of football have joined the armed forces. We are all united in these difficult times," he said.

But how did Sebastián Hernández end up in the Israeli army? The reason behind this is that in Israel, all citizens over 18 years old are required to perform military service. In the case of men, the duration of service is 2 and a half years. Since Sebastián is 20 years old, he still has half a year to complete his service, so he was called up.

It is important to note that fulfilling military service in Israel does not necessarily limit the ability to carry out daily life. In Sebastián's case, he had the opportunity to continue his career as a footballer, thanks to his high-level training over time. Therefore, he is qualified to perform military tasks, as he explained himself.

"Currently, I am dedicated to bullet and weapons preparation in the designated area for me. Sometimes, I am also assigned the responsibility of security at the entrance of a base," shared Sebastián.

Sebastián Hernández and the Peruvian National Team

This is not the first time that Sebastián defends the colors of Israel, although in the past, he did it only in the sports field. He became part of almost all the youth categories of the European national team. He plays as a right back or right interior midfielder. However, when official friendly matches began to be scheduled, he was informed that he needed to obtain an Israeli passport, a document he had not yet processed. This was because he already had a Peruvian passport, and obtaining the Israeli one would require renouncing the Peruvian one, something he was not willing to do.

The reason behind this decision is that Hernández dreams of representing the Peruvian National Team. His talent has not gone unnoticed by the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF), and in 2021, the first contact was established. A series of conversations took place, and he hopes that they can resume in the near future.