“Can you tell us how he died?” - Mo Salah hits out at UEFA for post about Palestine football hero Suleiman Al-Obeid’s death while seeking aid in Gaza

Liverpool v Athletic Club Bilbao - Pre-Season Friendly - Source: Getty
Liverpool v Athletic Club Bilbao - Pre-Season Friendly - Source: Getty

Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah has hit out at UEFA for their post about the passing of Palestinian football legend Suleiman Al-Obeid. The forward asked questions of their social media post to announce Al-Obeid's death whilst he sought aid in his native Gaza.

Ad

Egypt international Salah became the first high-profile footballer to question the post from European football's governing body, asking the question on X. He challenged their tribute to the 'Palestinian Pele', asking that the details of his death be made public, as well.

Ad

Suleiman Al-Obeid was a forward who played professionally for clubs in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as the Palestinian national team. The 41-year-old had gone out to look for aid for himself and his family in Southern Gaza amid the ongoing blockade from Israel when he met his end on August 6th.

According to the Palestinian Football Association, Israeli forces shot Al-Obeid as he waited for the arrival of aid, which is usually dropped from planes flying overhead. He becomes the latest football-related figure to die in the ongoing conflict in Gaza since October 2023, taking the count up to 321.

Ad

Suleiman Al-Obeid leaves five children and a wife in the ongoing crisis in Gaza as humanitarian aid continues to be restricted in the region. The UN has reported that over 1,300 people have been killed in their attempts to get food in the region in the last three months.

Suleiman Al-Obeid: The Palestinian Pele

Suleiman Al-Obeid was born on March 24th 1984 in Gaza and featured for Khadamat Al-Shati at the start of his professional career. He was with the club between 2007 and 2009, before he left to join Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ari. He remained with them for four years until 2013.

Ad

Al-Obeid returned to his boyhood club for one year before moving to Gaza Sport in 2014. He was there for two years before he returned for a third spell at Khadamat Al-Shati. He remained with them until his retirement in 2023 and ended his career with more than 100 goals scored, a rare feat in Palestine.

Al-Obeid played in 19 official games in the colours of Palestine and scored two goals for his country. His first goal was a spectacular acrobatic effort in a match at the 2010 West Asian Football Federation Championship against Yemen. His strike in the game helped his side pull one back while they were 2-0 down. He scored another in a friendly match one year later.

Quick Links

Edited by Sulayman Salahudeen
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications