Soccer superstar Mohamed Salah called out European football’s governing body on Saturday for its limited statement after Palestinian footballer Suleiman Al-Obeid was killed in Gaza.
The Egyptian Liverpool forward, the highest-profile Arab player in the game, pointedly noted that the post by UEFA made no reference to the circumstances of Al-Obeid’s death.
Al-Obeid, who during his playing days was part of the Palestinian national team, was killed by an Israeli strike targeting civilians waiting for aid in southern Gaza, according to the Palestine Football Association (PFA).
“Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the ‘Palestinian Pelé’. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times,” wrote UEFA in a post on X.
Salah responded to the post on Saturday: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?” His remark quickly gained traction online, with more than 840,000 likes by Saturday night.
UEFA has not publicly commented further. CNN has contacted the Switzerland-based body for comment.
Later on Saturday, the PFA shared a statement in Arabic that it said was sent from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, expressing his condolences for Al-Obeid’s death.
Al-Obeid showed that “joy, talent, and pride can blossom despite suffering,” said the statement attributed to Ceferin. “His talent and dedication of the game gave the children of Gaza and beyond hope in a brighter tomorrow.”
Al-Obeid was born in Gaza City and was 41 years old when he was killed, according to the PFA. He had scored more than 100 goals throughout his long career, it said.
Salah, a four-time Premier League top-goalscorer, is one of the highest-profile footballers to speak out against the war in Gaza. He has previously called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into the enclave “immediately,” for world leaders to help end the fighting, and for the “massacres” to stop.
According to the PFA, 325 members of its football community have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023 – including players, managers, referees, coaches and other staff.
The United Nations says more than 1,300 people have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking food since late May, when a controversial new Israel- and US-backed aid group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, began operating. Of those, more than 800 have been killed near GHF sites, according to the UN.
Currently 75% of all United Nations members recognize a sovereign Palestinian state, with more countries - including Britain, France and Canada - recently announcing plans to do the same. At the UN, Palestine is currently a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly as the United States has consistently blocked full UN membership.
As a football team though, Palestine has been recognized by the sport’s world governing body FIFA since 1998. They have played in the last three Asian Cup tournaments, but have yet to qualify for the World Cup.
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