London, UK – Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah publicly criticised UEFA’s recent tribute to the late Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the “Palestinian Pele,” after the European football governing body failed to mention the circumstances surrounding Al-Obeid’s death.
Al-Obeid, a former Palestinian national team player, was killed in an Israeli strike on civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza, according to the Palestine Football Association (PFA). The 41-year-old’s death came amid the ongoing conflict that has deeply affected the region’s sporting community.
In a brief post on social media platform X, UEFA described Al-Obeid as “a talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times,” but made no reference to how or where he died. Salah responded pointedly, asking: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”
The PFA later shared a statement from UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin acknowledging Al-Obeid’s legacy and describing his death as a “great loss” to football and to those who believe in sport’s power to unite people.
Since October 2023, the PFA reports that more than 300 members of the Palestinian football community—including players, coaches, and officials—have died in the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict. The war, which began after Hamas’s cross-border attack on southern Israel, has led to widespread devastation in Gaza, with UN agencies warning of severe humanitarian crises, including thousands killed near aid distribution points.
Salah, one of the Premier League’s most prominent voices, has previously called for humanitarian aid access to Gaza amid the nearly two-year conflict, underscoring the human cost behind the headlines and the stories of those like Al-Obeid.
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