Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool forward, has publicly criticized UEFA for its tribute to Suleiman al-Obeid, a Palestinian footballer known as the "Palestinian Pele". Salah's criticism stems from UEFA's failure to mention the circumstances surrounding al-Obeid's death in its tribute.
UEFA's original post on X, formerly known as Twitter, recognized al-Obeid as "a talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times". In response, Salah questioned, "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?".
Al-Obeid, 41, was reportedly killed on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike while waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the Palestine Football Association. The association described the strike as targeting civilians.
UEFA has not yet commented on Salah's post.
Salah, a devout Muslim and one of the most prominent Arab sportsmen globally, has previously spoken out about the conflict and advocated for humanitarian aid to Gaza. In October 2023, he called for an end to the "massacres" in Gaza, emphasizing that "all lives are sacred and must be protected".
Al-Obeid, during his career, scored over 100 goals and was considered one of the brightest stars in Palestinian football.
The United Nations reports that over 1,000 people have been killed near aid distribution sites and aid convoys in Gaza since the launch of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US and Israel-backed aid distribution system, in late May.
