Mohamed Salah Challenges UEFA's Silence on 'Palestinian Pele' Tribute

Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah used social media to request additional information from UEFA regarding the circumstances of Palestinian footballer Suleiman Al-Obeid's death.

Al-Obeid was a regular member of Palestine's national squad and claimed the top scorer title in the league for three straight seasons from 2015 to 2018. The Gaza-native attacker, known as the "Palestinian Pelé", was described as "one of the most brilliant talents in Palestinian football" by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA).

According to the PFA, Al-Obeid was "killed during an Israeli attack on civilians awaiting humanitarian assistance in southern Gaza Strip" on August 6 at the age of 41. He left behind a wife and five children.

Two days following the incident, UEFA, Europe's football governing authority, issued a brief tribute: "Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pelé.' A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times."

Salah responded to the X post by asking: "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?"

The Egyptian player has been cautious in his previous comments about the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, initially facing criticism from some for remaining silent on the matter. In October 2023, Salah posted a video on social media appealing for the conflict to end.

"There has been too much violence, heartbreak and brutality," he stated. "The escalations in recent weeks is unbearable to witness. All lives are sacred and must be protected. The massacres need to stop, families are being torn apart."

Salah also urged for humanitarian assistance to be "immediately" sent to Gaza and has previously contributed to the Egyptian Red Crescent to aid its relief operations in the area.