No One Killed Palestinian Pele — Salah Ends Football's Defeaning Silence on Gaza

It took 662 athletes' death and a tweet from Mohamed Salah, but UEFA have finally preached non-violence in Palestine

How Mohamed Salah ended UEFA and FIFA's silence on the killings of Palestinian footballers in Gaza.

(Photo: X)

Something odd happened on 13 August at the UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur.

No, not that Spurs squandered a two-goal lead in the dying minutes. There are precedents aplenty for that. Enough to dust off Giorgio Chiellini’s famous “This is the history of the Tottenham” quip.

But, something odd happened even before a ball was kicked in Udine, Italy.

This is the city slated to host Italy’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Israel on 14 October. A petition urging the Italian Football Federation to cancel the fixture has been circulating, but change seems unlikely. Only days ago, the nation’s sports minister, Andrea Abodi, insisted the Israel–Palestine conflict was not comparable to Russia–Ukraine. Why? Because although Italy does consider Russia to be an aggressor, it does not view Israel in the same regard.

It’s a line that mirrors the long-standing stance of FIFA and UEFA.

Yet yesterday in Udine, something shifted. Before kick-off, two banners appeared: Stop Killing Children and Stop Killing Civilians.

Directed at whom? Israel? Hamas? The Association of Stray Dogs in India? Or, perhaps, the abortion clinics? Who needs to stop killing which children?

It would have been a deviation if UEFA were to explicitly call out what they have not so far. But yesterday, they did.

It was announced that among the kids who were present at the medal ceremony was Tala — a 12-year-old Palestinian girl, undergoing treatment in Milan after being evacuated from the war-torn and practically levelled out Gaza.

Alongside Tala was Mohamed — three years younger to her — who had lost both of his parents to an Israeli air strike.

UEFA issued a six-paragraph, 259-word press release. Not once did it mention the word Israel.

Still, it marked a departure. The governing body, for once, had acknowledged — however obliquely — the devastation in Gaza.

The Death of Palestinian Pele

Perhaps, the trigger was the event of 6 August. On that fateful day, Palestinian footballer Suleiman Al-Obeid lost his life tragically to an Israeli tank shell, while he has queued up to collect the week’s humanitarian aid. Al-Obeid was not the first footballer to have met this fate. Rather, he has the 321^st member of Palestine’s footballing community — which is now nearly in a state of ruins — to have lost his life in the war.

Following his demise, the Palestinian Football Association painted a portrait of the national icon through its tribute.

Former national team player and Shabab Al-Shati star Suleiman Al-Obeid was martyred today, Wednesday, after occupation forces targeted people waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza. Al-Obeid was born on March 24, 1984, in Gaza City. He was married and the father of two sons and three daughters. The Gazelle, the Black Pearl, the Henry of Palestine, the Pelé of Palestinian football — these were all nicknames of the late star who dazzled and roamed the football fields of Palestine. Over his long sporting career, Al-Obeid scored more than 100 goals, making him one of the brightest stars in Palestinian football. With Al-Obeid’s martyrdom, the number of martyrs in the sports and scouting community has risen to 662 since the start of the Israeli genocide on October 7, 2023. The number of martyrs from the Football Association alone has reached 321 sportspeople, including players, coaches, administrators, referees, and club board members.

Palestinian Football Association

There have not been 321 tweets of commiserations from UEFA or FIFA about the deaths of Palestinian footballers. But even at his death, Al-Obeid remained as unavoidable as he was in his life. Still playing at 41, and harbouring the dreams of not retiring until he was 50, Al-Obeid was affectionately called the ‘Palestinian Pele’ by his fans. His international career might only have a couple of goals, but his stature was not shy of legendary in his nation.

The nation that once existed, that is.

Mohamed Salah at the Backpost

Al-Obeid, the 321^st victim of strikes, warranted a public note of commiseration. UEFA wrote:

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

UEFA

This could have been the end of it — another quiet note in a long list of ignored tragedies — if not for Mohamed Salah. The Liverpool forward responded publicly:

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

662 Athletes Have Died. There Are No Killers.

Before Al-Obeid, there was Mohammed Barakat. Called the ‘Legend of Khan Younis,’ he was Palestine club football’s first-ever centurion. There was also Rashid Dabour. Nazir Atta Al-Nashash. Hani Al-Masdar. Names on a growing roll call: 321 footballers, 662 athletes in total, killed since October 7, 2023.

But with Salah speaking up, finally, UEFA are, at the very least, showcasing banners.

The athletes are rendered voiceless when the governing association themselves have imposed harsh rules. Consider Celtic, for example. Long supporters of Palestine, they have been fined hefty amounts on more occasions than one. In 2014 against KR Reykjavik, in 2016 against Hapoel Be’er Sheva, in 2023 against Atletico Madrid. Their crime, across all the occasions, was the display of the Palestinian flag.

Citing sports and politics’ mutually independent relationship, sensitivity of the issue and governance being beyond its remit, FIFA and UEFA have repeatedly denied sanctioning the Israel national team and its clubs, although the same has not been followed in Russia’s case.

How FIFA & UEFA Reacted to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Three years prior, almost immediately after Russia’s attack on Ukraine, both FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian teams from international and European club football. Their reasoning?

Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine.

UEFA

In February 2022, UEFA issued a statement that did not hedge its language: the conflict between Russia and Ukraine was called, unequivocally, an “invasion.” Not once have they used a similar term for the Israel-Palestine situation.

UEFA shares the international community’s significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe and strongly condemns the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine.

UEFA

UEFA also relocated the Champions League final from Saint Petersburg to Paris. Russian football came to a standstill.

In that same month, FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned Russia’s use of force, and preached non-violence.

We condemn the use of force by Russia in Ukraine and any type of violence. Violence is never the solution.

Gianni Infantino

Solidarity Can Be Selective

The template existed. It was clear, and forceful. Yet, the playbook was discarded when it came to Palestine. No invasion. No aggressor. No one killed Suleiman Al-Obeid.

If there is a narrative to be sought here, it is not about choosing sides — it is about consistency. It is about acknowledgement. Either FIFA and UEFA explain why their standards change from one war to another, or they admit what is already evident: hypocrisy, laid bare.

Solidarity, it seems, can be selective.

For Palestine, there was silence — until Mohamed Salah spoke.

Now there are banners. Small, almost timid. But it’s a start. And in football’s corridors of power, even the smallest start often takes years to arrive.

But lest we forget, Salah still has not received an answer.

It seems that no one killed the Palestinian Pele. Just that he died. Happens.