Ronnie Deila, the former manager of New York City FC, is currently being investigated by Israeli authorities for allegedly harassing a female taxi driver in Tel Aviv.
Deila, who led NYCFC to its first MLS Cup in 2021, reportedly made inappropriate comments to the driver and refused to pay after a night out. This information was shared by the Israeli news outlet, N12.
The incident is said to have occurred late Thursday night, prompting Israeli police to question the 50-year-old coach, who was later released under certain conditions.
Since February, Deila has been coaching Maccabi Tel Aviv, which competes in Israel’s top soccer league.
In a statement to N12, Deila confirmed the investigation and expressed remorse for his actions. He mentioned that he took a taxi home after drinking and couldn’t recall the specifics of the situation. “If my words offended the taxi driver, I sincerely apologize to her and to all club members and fans. This isn’t reflective of my values,” he stated. He emphasized the importance of learning from this mistake and taking responsibility.
This marks the second incident involving Deila since he arrived in Israel. Reports indicate he faced controversy when he was reportedly removed from a bar in Tel Aviv after being denied service. Police were called after complaints about a “foreign national” having a dispute with staff.
According to a police spokesperson, officers quickly arrived and instructed Deila to leave the premises, which he did. However, administrators from the bar claimed he was neither drunk nor abusive, and Deila dismissed the accusations as mere gossip.
During his tenure at NYCFC, Deila achieved a record of 46 wins, 29 losses, and 15 draws over two and a half seasons. He briefly managed Standard Liège in Belgium and had previously coached Celtic in the Scottish Premiership from 2014 to 2016. Deila returned to Major League Soccer in 2025 as head coach of Atlanta United for one season.
