London – Saba:
Egyptian national team captain and Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah on Saturday directed veiled criticism at the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) regarding Suleiman al-Obeid, the former Palestinian football star known as the "Pelé of Palestine," who was killed by Israeli army fire in the Gaza Strip last Wednesday.
UEFA published a post on its X platform on Friday mourning Al-Obeid, saying, "We bid farewell to Suleiman Al-Obeid (Pelé of Palestine), a talent who gave tremendous hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times."
The post did not mention the cause or location of al-Obeid's killing, prompting Mohamed Salah to demand more details from UEFA. Salah shared the UEFA post and commented, "Can you tell us how, where, and why?" The post generated thousands of reactions.
The Palestinian Football Association announced last Wednesday that Suleiman al-Obeid was killed in an Israeli enemy airstrike on people waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip. He had five children.
Palestinian player al-Obeid began his football career with the Khadamat Al-Shati Club, then joined al-Amari Youth Center Club in the occupied West Bank, before moving to the Gaza Sports Club.
Al-Obeid scored his first international goal against Yemen in the 2010 West Asian Championship and participated in the Asian Challenge Cup and 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
During his career, al-Obeid scored more than 100 goals, making him, in the eyes of many, the greatest player in the history of Palestinian football.
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