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JERUSALEM, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Former Israel Football Association chairman Haim Haberfeld died in Tel Aviv on Monday night at age 71 after a long battle with diabetes, the IFA said in a statement.

He served as the IFA chairman between 1982-85 and 1991-93 and saw Israel become a full member of UEFA in 1992. "Haberfeld fought during the 1980s and early '90s to get Israel incorporated into European soccer and he won many friends among the heads of European associations," the IFA said.

Haberfeld held a position on the IFA management committee until last August. He was also an influential trade-union activist and served as secretary-general of the Histadrut, Israel's national labour union movement, between 1992-94. His funeral will take place on Thursday.