Mohamed Salah Criticises UEFA Over Tribute to Palestinian Football Legend Suleiman al-Obeid

Mohamed Salah Criticises UEFA Over Tribute to Palestinian Football Legend Suleiman al-Obeid

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has publicly criticised UEFA for its tribute to late Palestinian football legend Suleiman al-Obeid, saying the organisation failed to mention the tragic circumstances of his death.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) confirmed on Thursday that Suleiman al-Obeid, widely known as the "Pele of Palestinian football", was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip while waiting for humanitarian aid.

Obeid, 41, was a prolific striker who scored more than 100 goals in his career and represented Palestine in 24 international matches, netting twice for the national side.

On Friday, UEFA posted on X (formerly Twitter):

> "Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pele'. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times."

However, Salah responded the following day, demanding clarity:

> "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?"

The Egyptian international has been vocal in calling for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza and urging world leaders to take action to prevent further civilian casualties in the ongoing Israel–Gaza conflict.

The conflict escalated after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead and over 250 taken hostage. Since then, the Hamas-run health ministry reports that more than 61,300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations.

According to the United Nations, since late May over 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food at humanitarian aid sites run by the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Salah’s comments have sparked widespread discussion on the role of sporting bodies in addressing humanitarian crises, especially when paying tribute to athletes affected by conflict.

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