The move by UEFA follows criticism over its social media “farewell” post regarding the death of the Palestinian football player, Suleiman al-Obeid, without mentioning how he died or who killed him.
A massive banner with the message “Stop Killing Children. Stop Killing Civilians” was displayed on the pitch before the UEFA Super Cup match on Wednesday in Udine, Italy.
“From the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, the message is loud and clear. A banner. A call,” European football’s governing body said on X, along with a photo showing the banner in front of the players as they lined up ahead of the game between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur.
From the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, the message is loud and clear.
A banner. A call. pic.twitter.com/HNjPja4OBk
— UEFA (@UEFA) August 13, 2025
Nine child refugees, currently in Italy, hailing from Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria and Ukraine had carried the banner onto the pitch.
Palestinian Children’s Participation
Two Palestinian refugee children were invited to participate in the medals ceremony, according to a UEFA press statement.
🏆🤍 Yesterday at the #SuperCup medal ceremony, Tala (12) and Mohamed (9), refugee children from Gaza, joined UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin on the podium thanks to @UEFA_Foundation & Inter Campus in a tribute to their courage, healing and hope. #EveryChildIsAChampion
— UEFA (@UEFA) August 14, 2025
It said one of the children was 12-year-old Tala, a young Palestinian girl “with fragile health who was transferred to Milan to receive appropriate medical care, as the adequate equipment was lacking in Gaza after the start of the war.”
She was to be joined on the podium by Mohamed, 9, “who lost his parents during the war and was severely injured following an air strike.” Mohamed is currently undergoing medical treatment in Milan.
Post on ‘Palestinian Pelé’
The move by UEFA follows criticism over its social media “farewell” post regarding the death of the Palestinian football player, Suleiman al-Obeid, known as the “Palestinian Pelé” without mentioning how he died or who killed him.
According to the Palestinian Football Association (PFA), al-Obeid, 41, was killed on Wednesday, August 6, in an Israeli attack on civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip. The PFA said al-Obeid was trying to obtain humanitarian aid amid widespread starvation and severe shortages of food and water when he was killed.
Responding to Mohamed Salah: Who Killed the ‘Palestinian Pelé’?
UEFA’s post on al-Obeid’s death stating “Farewell” to the “Palestinian Pelé,” describing him as “A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times,” received a rebuke from Liverpool football player, Mohamed Salah.
“Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?” Salah posted in response.
Criticism
The post also came under fire from X users, including Mosab Abu Taha, the Palestinian writer, stating: “Unbelievable how coward you are not to name who killed him (Israel) and where/how they killed him (seeking food near GHF sites).”
“How pathetic that you don’t name how Israel killed him while he was lined up to get aid for his starving kids. SHAME,” commented journalist Ahmed el-Din.
Russia was cut off IMMEDIATELY upon attacking Ukraine.
You’ve been dragging your feet TWO YEARS on Gaza and now just coming out with passive messages instead of being deliberate and decisive against Israel’s genocide..
Shame on you, @UEFA! pic.twitter.com/kU31CLmYAy
— فُلَانْ بِنْ عَلَّاْنْ (@Matador_X6) August 14, 2025
Wednesday’s post depicting the banner also drew sharp condemnation, with one user stating: “Russia was cut off IMMEDIATELY upon attacking Ukraine. You’ve been dragging your feet TWO YEARS on Gaza and now just coming out with passive messages instead of being deliberate and decisive against Israel’s genocide.. Shame on you, UEFA!”
Another X user wrote: “If you had any shame, you would leave the slogans and ban the Israeli national team and Israeli teams from playing in your competitions.”
Abu Taha stated: “You mean ‘stop the Israeli genocide!’ Come on, you are getting closer to the reality of who is doing the killing of children and civilians.”
Condemnation of FIFA
Football world governing body, FIFA, has also come under attack for not taking any measures to sanction Israel from participating in the sport internationally.
Since October 7, 2023, over 700 athletes and sports officials have been killed, including 322 affiliated with the PFA — among them players, coaches, administrators, referees, and club board members.
At least 288 sports facilities have been damaged or destroyed, 268 of them in Gaza. The association’s headquarters in Gaza was among the sites hit in Israeli air raids.
In this opinion piece on the issue, Palestine Chronicle Editor Ramzy Baroud wrote: “Though FIFA may still claim that the matter is too ‘complex’ and ‘sensitive’, how can it ignore that over 700 Palestinian athletes have been killed, and over 270 sports facilities have been destroyed in the first 14 months of the war?”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
FIFA are too cowardly to uphold their own principles. Perhaps FIFA needs to be investigated for corruption – for all we know, they may be taking bribes to keep Israel in FIFA.
It won’t be the first time. Fifa was indeed investigated for corruption and taking bribes before. I see no reason for them to not do it again.