Mo Salah Questions UEFA On Death of ‘Palestinian Pele’: ‘How, Where, Why?’

Mohamed Salah, a forward who plays for Liverpool FC in England and captains the Egyptian national team, queried the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) over its message posted in response to the death of Palestinian player Suleiman al-Obeid.

In a message posted to X and then reposted across his social media, Salah wrote: “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”

Newsweek reached out to UEFA and Liverpool FC by email, and to Mohamed Salah’s agent through social media, outside of normal business hours on Sunday afternoon for comment.

Why It Matters

Salah has become one of – if not the – most prominent Muslim players in world soccer, with Saudi Arabia’s Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal calling Salah “the most high-profile Muslim player in the world.”

Liverpool fans have nicknamed Salah “the Egyptian king,” and his popularity in his home country led to him receiving votes in the 2018 Egyptian presidential election as devoted fans spoiled their ballots and wrote in his name.

Salah has previously called for more humanitarian aid into Gaza, urging such efforts as early as the first weeks after the October 7 Hamas attack as Israel began its retaliation.

What To Know

UEFA on Friday paid tribute to al-Obeid, 41, in a post in which they wrote: “Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the ‘Palestinian Pele.’ A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”

Some criticized UEFA for what they viewed as a vague message that avoided discussing the reports that Obeid was killed when an Israeli tank allegedly shelled an area in which people had gathered to receive humanitarian aid, according to Reuters, citing Obeid’s widow Doaa al-Obeid.

The Obeid family’s home was destroyed earlier this year in bombardments, forcing them to live in tents in the ruins of Gaza City, where many gathered and have awaited humanitarian aid as famine spreads across the enclave.

Salah responded to UEFA’s post by asking for more information about Obeid’s death, specifically, “how he died, where, and why?”

The initial UEFA post as of Sunday evening received over 20,000 comments, 25,000 reposts, and 113,000 likes, while Salah’s post – made just one day later – received over 25,000 comments, 365,000 reposts, and 1.3 million likes, and even prompted a response from the Israeli military who said they would “take a closer look” at the incident.

Obeid was dedicated to his craft and planned to play until he was 50, “training every day and never stopped, not a single day,” according to his widow.

“Even during the crisis of war, in the midst of rockets, shelling and mass killing, he would go play. He used to gather his friends and loved ones and go play with them,” she said.

Many athletes have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s campaign, with some reports saying hundreds of soccer players – many of them children – among the dead.

What People Are Saying

Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani in response to Salah’s post wrote on X: “Hey Mohamed, After an initial review, we found no records of any incidents involving Suleiman al-Obeid. In order to take a closer look, we need more details.”

Mohamed Salah in previous posts on social media, according to The Guardian: “What is clear now is that humanitarian aid to Gaza must be allowed immediately. The people there are in terrible conditions. The scenes at the hospital last night were horrifying. The people of Gaza need food, water and medical supplies urgently. I’m calling on the world leaders to come together to prevent further slaughter of all innocent souls. Humanity must prevail.”