Salah challenges UEFA statement after death of Suleiman al-Obeid

Mohamed Salah pushes for clarity after UEFA pays tribute to a Palestinian player killed in Gaza.

Salah challenges UEFA statement after death of Suleiman al-Obeid

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah reacted to UEFA's tribute for Suleiman al-Obeid, a Palestinian footballer killed in southern Gaza while waiting for humanitarian aid. Al-Obeid, 41, is described by the Palestine Football Association as a player who scored more than 100 goals and appeared 24 times for Palestine, earning the nickname Palestinian Pele.

Salah quoted UEFA's statement on his social media and asked for details: Can you tell us how he died, where, and why? He then cross-posted the message on Instagram. The Palestine FA notes that 421 footballers have been killed or died from starvation in Gaza, and 288 sports facilities have been damaged or reduced to rubble across the region. The United Nations rights office has reported that more than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to obtain food aid since late May. The piece also recalls Salah's earlier appeals for humanitarian access and international intervention to ease Gaza’s crisis.

This episode shows how sports figures can become vessels for humanitarian and political questions. Memorials and tributes move quickly from sport to global politics, testing the line between respect and accountability. For UEFA, the challenge is to honor players and homes while not appearing to take sides in a conflict that continues to claim lives.

Salah’s public stance reflects how athletes can wield influence beyond the field, yet it also exposes them to backlash and misinterpretation in highly politicized contexts. The incident illustrates the risk that tributes become flashpoints for broader debates about responsibility, aid access, and the role of international bodies in conflict zones. In short, what begins as a tribute can quickly become a test of leadership for sports institutions and a catalyst for public discussion about humanitarian action.

Highlights

The case will test how sports figures and governing bodies navigate deep political divides.