‘Can you tell us how he died?’: Salah slams UEFA's tribute to ‘Palestinian Pele’

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has criticised UEFA for failing to mention the circumstances surrounding the death of former Palestinian football star Suleiman al-Obeid in a tribute post.

Known as the "Palestinian Pele", Obeid, 41, was killed on Wednesday in southern Gaza when Israeli forces attacked civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, according to the Palestine Football Association (PFA).

On Friday, UEFA paid tribute to Obeid on social media platform X, writing: "Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pele'. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times."

Salah responded on Saturday, asking: "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?"

The Egyptian international has frequently expressed sympathy for the people of Gaza during the ongoing conflict. In 2022, he donated to the Egyptian Red Cross to support its humanitarian operations in the region.

A regular for the Palestinian national team after making his debut in 2007, Obeid earned 24 caps and scored twice, the PFA said. His most memorable goal came via a scissor-kick against Yemen in the 2010 West Asian Football Federation Championship.

"During his long career, al-Obeid, 41, scored more than 100 goals, making him one of the brightest stars of Palestinian football," the PFA noted.

His prolific scoring and flair on the pitch earned him the nickname "the Palestinian Pele" -- a tribute to the legendary Brazilian widely considered one of the greatest players of all time.

Obeid's death adds to the growing number of athletes killed since the war began. The PFA reports that at least 662 sportspeople and their relatives have been killed in Gaza, including 421 footballers -- among them 103 children.

The conflict has also devastated sports infrastructure. According to the PFA, 288 sports facilities have been damaged or destroyed across Gaza and the West Bank, with 268 in Gaza and 20 in the West Bank. Roughly half of these were directly linked to football.

Among the damaged facilities was the PFA's Gaza headquarters, which was hit during an Israeli airstrike.

Humanitarian agencies report that more than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed near aid distribution points managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S. and Israel-backed aid distribution system, since its launch in late May.