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2w ago

Salah’s Viral Query Pressures UEFA to Detail Palestinian Footballer’s Gaza Death

The Liverpool forward’s post has amassed millions of views, prompting supporters to urge UEFA to publicly acknowledge that Suleiman al-Obeid was killed by Israeli fire.

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Doaa, the widow of late soccer player Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the "Palestinian Pele," who was killed by an Israeli strike targeting people waiting for humanitarian aid, according to the Palestine Football Association, shows a picture of him on a mobile phone inside their tent in Gaza City August 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ebrahim Hajjaj
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Doaa, the widow of late soccer player Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the "Palestinian Pele," who was killed by an Israeli strike targeting people waiting for humanitarian aid, according to the Palestine Football Association, looks at his picture while holding his shorts, as her son sits beside her inside their tent in Gaza City August 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ebrahim Hajjaj

Overview

  • UEFA’s initial X tribute to al-Obeid on Aug. 7 praised the 41-year-old as the “Palestinian Pelé” and highlighted his inspirational impact without detailing that he died under Israeli gunfire while waiting for humanitarian aid.
  • On Aug. 9, Mohamed Salah replied to UEFA’s post with “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”, a message that has since been viewed by tens of millions and reshared by high-profile figures.
  • The Palestine Football Association reports that al-Obeid scored more than 100 goals in his career and was one of at least 325 members of Gaza’s football community killed since the October 2023 war began.
  • Beyond a private letter of condolence from UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praising al-Obeid’s resilience and hope for Gazan children, the governing body has offered no further public explanation.
  • Salah’s intervention has intensified calls for sports institutions to transparently acknowledge civilian casualties in Gaza when issuing tributes to victims.