Salah Criticises Uefa Over Tribute to ‘Palestinian Pele’

Salah Calls Out Uefa Over Tribute Post

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has criticised Uefa for failing to mention the circumstances surrounding the death of Palestinian football legend Suleiman al-Obeid in its online tribute.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) confirmed on Thursday that Obeid, 41, was killed in an Israeli attack in the southern Gaza Strip while waiting for humanitarian aid.

Nicknamed the “Palestinian Pele”, Obeid scored more than 100 goals in his career, including two in 24 international appearances for Palestine.

Uefa’s Tribute and Salah’s Response

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Uefa wrote:

“Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the ‘Palestinian Pele’. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”

On Saturday, Salah, 33, responded:

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

The Egyptian international’s public remark has put pressure on European football’s governing body to address the omission. BBC Sport has contacted Uefa for comment.

Context of Obeid’s Death

The PFA reported that Obeid was killed on Wednesday while awaiting humanitarian aid. His death comes amid ongoing conflict in Gaza, where Israeli military operations have killed more than 61,300 people since October 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The United Nations recently reported that 1,373 Palestinians have died seeking food since late May, when the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing aid.

Salah’s Previous Advocacy for Gaza

Salah has previously called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza and urged “world leaders to come together to prevent further slaughter of innocent souls.”

The Liverpool star’s latest comments underline his ongoing willingness to speak out on humanitarian issues beyond football.