Omri Kanda on his debts: "I lost a million and a half shekels"
Omri Kanda opens up about the heavy debts left by gambling, his grueling night work as a courier, and the painful gap between his public image and his harsh reality.
Behind the smile, the performances, and the media presence, former footballer Omri Kanda reveals the financial price he paid due to his past entanglement with gambling. In a glimpse into an episode of the couples' reality show "Power Couple" (Reshet 13), the 40-year-old former defender disclosed the staggering sum he lost over the years, which continues to affect his life to this day:
"In the range of a million to a million and a half shekels, something like that."
The massive debts, which include loans and heavy financial obligations to his parents and family, explain why even a decade after retiring from professional football in 2015 and overcoming his addiction, the shadow of the past continues to haunt his daily routine. Although he has managed to reinvent himself through stand-up comedy, inspirational lectures, and a successful podcast, his financial reality is far from glamorous.
In an open conversation on the show with Elad Turgeman and Shir Taran, Kanda described his demanding schedule, which includes grueling night work as a courier delivering goods to cafes and hotels, alongside alimony and household expenses. The physical and mental strain peaks in the early hours of the morning:
"I have a podcast at eight in the morning, and I finish working at seven in the morning the same day. I sleep in the car."
His wife, Dorin, who accompanies him on the show, does not hide her deep concern for his well-being:
"My dream is for you to stop working at night, because you have no day and no night."
Kanda refuses to play the victim and takes full responsibility for his past debts, highlighting the painful gap between his public image and his true life:
"I don't blame anyone; I know that I created them. People recognize me and say, 'How wonderful, you reinvented yourself and you must be making tons of money,' and I am sleeping in the car."
Omri and Dorin Kanda have formed a deep friendship with Shir Taran and Elad Turgeman and have kept in touch since the show. Elad and Shir have not remained indifferent and have brought them into the agency where they are signed, hoping to help them succeed and earn a decent living.
