Salah criticizes UEFA over vague tribute to 'Palestinian Pele'

European football’s governing body UEFA has faced criticism from Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, mainly over a social media post by UEFA.

Recently, UEFA shared a tribute to Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid but did not mention how he died.

On Thursday, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) announced that Suleiman al-Obeid was killed in an Israeli attack while waiting for humanitarian aid in southern Gaza. The 41-year-old, known as the ‘Palestinian Pele,’ scored over 100 goals in his career, including two goals in 24 international matches.

Following Obeid’s death, UEFA posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday: “Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pele'. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times.”

However, UEFA’s post did not mention the circumstances of his death, prompting strong criticism from 33-year-old Mohamed Salah. Responding on Saturday, Salah wrote, “Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?”

The BBC contacted UEFA for a comment but did not receive any response.

Since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military has carried out operations in Gaza. The initial attack resulted in about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Since then, over 61,300 people have died due to Israeli military actions in Gaza.

On Saturday, the Hamas-run health ministry reported that at least 38 people were killed and 491 injured in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours.

Earlier this month, the United Nations stated that since the creation of a new aid organization, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the US and Israel, 1,373 Palestinians have died searching for food since late May.

Salah has previously advocated for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and urged world leaders to come together to stop the loss of innocent lives in the ongoing conflict.