‘Can you tell us how he died?’: Salah criticises UEFA over tribute to ‘Palestinian Pele’

The number of soccer players and others from the Palestinian football community killed since the start of the aggression on October 7, 2023, has risen to 325.

Cairo: Egyptian Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has criticised the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for what he implied was a selective tribute to Palestinian footballer Suleiman Al-Obeid, nicknamed the “Palestinian Pele”.

The 41-year-old was killed on Wednesday, August 6, in Rafah, Gaza Strip, fter Israeli forces allegedly fired on civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) said.

Three days later, UEFA posted on X describing Al-Obeid as “a talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”

MS Teachers

Salah responded, “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”

A father of five from Gaza City, Al-Obeid was widely regarded as one of the most gifted attacking midfielders in the Gaza Strip League. He made 19 appearances for the national team, playing in the Asian Cup, Pan Arab Games and FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

On Sunday, August 10, two more footballers – Moath Alaa Al-Hawajri of Al-Nuseirat Club and Nasrallah Al-Maqati’ah of Deir al-Balah Club – were reported killed in central Gaza while waiting for aid, according to the Wafa News Agency.

The PFA said that the number of soccer players and others from the Palestinian football community killed since the start of the aggression on October 7, 2023, has risen to 325.

Back to top button