The Seoul World Cup Stadium could be one of the vital partisan and intimidating soccer arenas in Asia. The unwavering devotion – bordering on obsession – of the South Korean followers could make the most important groups really feel uncomfortable on this cauldron.
On Thursday, although, the house followers proudly displayed flags, scarves and banners in assist of South Korea’s opponents – Palestine.
Amid a sea of purple shirts, reflecting the color of the house group’s package, massive pockets of the 66,000-capacity stadium unfurled flags and displayed supportive messages for the visiting group.
The poignant environment set the scene for Palestine’s first ever match within the third spherical of qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
It was an evening to recollect on the pitch too as coach Makram Daboub’s aspect walked away with a deserved and invaluable level after a 0-0 draw towards the giants of Asian soccer, because of Rami Hamadeh’s imperious goalkeeping and South Korea’s errant ending.
Whereas the pre-match favorite Taegeuk Warriors had been denied a house win, Palestine had been additionally left to rue Jo Hyeon-woo’s advantageous save in stoppage time to disclaim Wessam Abou Ali a historic winner.
The regrets, if any, had been washed away by the jubilant scenes at full-time.
Huge smiles and heat embraces capped off a historic night time for the gamers and backroom workers, who’ve taken on the mantle of representing Palestine on the most important levels as struggle rages on again residence in Gaza.
The Lions of Canaan stepped on the sphere with a agency perception of their means to grasp the dream of reaching soccer’s world showpiece.
“I’m at all times dreaming,” Palestinian midfielder Mohammed Rashid informed Al Jazeera within the lead-up to the qualifiers.
“They [the Israeli forces] attempt to kill our desires, however we won’t allow them to stand in our means. We will by no means cease dreaming.”
“It’s one of many easiest and most elementary human rights on earth. All of us have the appropriate to dream. I do know it’s arduous to succeed in the World Cup [finals], however every thing is feasible in soccer.
“Being on this place [in the qualifiers] is already a dream, and going to the subsequent step is one other.”
Flying the flag for Palestine
Because the group tackles its challenges on the street to 2026, the Palestinians in Gaza proceed to be targets of the Israeli forces, who’ve killed greater than 40,000 individuals and wounded over 94,000, in response to the Well being Ministry in Gaza. In Israel, 1,139 individuals had been killed within the October 7 Hamas-led assaults, which began the present struggle.
The practically yearlong struggle has additionally left its influence on soccer, the preferred sport in Palestine, and the Palestinian soccer group.
As of August, at the very least 410 athletes, sports activities officers or coaches had been killed within the struggle, in response to the Palestine Soccer Affiliation. Of those, 297 had been footballers, together with 84 youngsters who harboured desires of taking part in for Palestine.
After the struggle started, Palestine Soccer Affiliation (PFA) Vice President Susan Shalabi started recording the deaths of these related to the sport in Gaza. It was her try and humanise the numbers and inform their tales.
Nonetheless, she needed to cease as she struggled to maintain up with the mounting numbers and the emotional toll of mourning the loss.
The trauma of struggle and the lack of family and friends has impacted the gamers as nicely.
“No human, whether or not they’re Palestinian or not, can see what’s taking place and never be affected by it,” Palestine worldwide Rashid mentioned.
He then reveals his coping mechanism: “Two days earlier than the match, I attempt my greatest not to take a look at the information as a result of it actually impacts us.”
Rashid mentioned that whereas different gamers might take care of their feelings in another way, there is no such thing as a denying that it’s “fairly arduous” for everyone to hold on taking part in.
He explains that “flying the flag for Palestine” means greater than any consequence.
“There’s extra to it than simply soccer,” the Ramallah-born participant mentioned.
The 29-year-old mentioned the group performs for each Palestinian at residence, each Palestinian who’s abroad and within the refugee camps everywhere in the world.
“We by no means play for us. After we play for the nationwide group, we signify the entire Palestinian group everywhere in the world.”
Dwelling away from residence
After the attract Seoul in Palestine’s first match of the qualifiers, the group travelled to Kuala Lumpur to “host” Jordan within the Malaysian capital.
Because the October 7 assaults in southern Israel and the following struggle, Palestine haven’t been in a position to play any worldwide video games at residence.
In November, they had been resulting from host Australia on the Faisal Al-Husseini Worldwide Stadium in ar-Ram, northeast of Jerusalem, however safety issues dictated in any other case. It might have been their first match on residence soil since a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in October 2019.
Within the earlier spherical of World Cup qualifiers, Palestine’s residence video games had been performed in Kuwait and Qatar whereas Indonesia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Algeria provided to host them as nicely.
Malaysia, a staunch ally of Palestine, provided the identical, and to chop down on journey from Seoul, Kuala Lumpur was chosen the host for the mouthwatering all-Arab tie.
Whereas Palestine can count on robust assist from locals and the Palestinian group in Malaysia, there could be no substitute for taking part in at residence.
It stays to be seen if Palestine can host Kuwait at residence for his or her subsequent residence sport on October 15.
Whereas FIFA has granted conditional approval for the PFA to host video games on the Faisal Al-Husseini Worldwide Stadium, the logistics are usually not easy. And till the PFA is ready to flip the hope right into a actuality, Palestine are compelled to seek out impartial venues for his or her residence video games.
They take power from realizing that a number of nations have opened their arms to host Palestine.
“It means lots to us,” PFA’s Shalabi defined. “We really feel that we’re not alone, and that’s essential for a people who find themselves besieged, being tormented and killed.”
For Palestine to fulfil their dream of constructing it to the North American World Cup in 2026, they should obtain one among two situations: be among the many high two groups of their group – which moreover South Korea and Jordan additionally options Iraq, Oman and Kuwait – or end the present spherical in third or fourth place and progress to the fourth spherical, by which six groups will battle for the ultimate two automated berths.
FIFA’s official males’s rankings place Palestine (96) nicely behind South Korea (22), Iraq (55) and Jordan (68), making it seem tough for them to complete forward of these three international locations. Nonetheless, ending third or fourth and giving themselves one other shot at qualification may be very a lot on the playing cards.
Hope of the Palestinian individuals
There may be little doubt that the group represents hope to the Palestinian individuals. The story of PFA Deputy Common Secretary Sami Abu Al Hussein signifies how.
Al Hussein determined to separate members of his household to keep away from dropping each his youngsters to an Israeli assault. In the event that they had been in separate areas, he figured, one would survive if the opposite didn’t.
Regardless of the struggle and the division of his household, Al Hussein phoned his colleague Shalabi to specific his pleasure in regards to the qualifiers and relay the feelings of the individuals searching for a quick respite from the struggle.
“It signifies the hope the group represents for Palestine,” mentioned Shalabi, who can be a member of the Asian Soccer Confederation’s govt committee.
“We’re so pleased with them as a result of in what they’re doing now, they’re offering a voice for the entire of Palestine, particularly those who’re residing underneath this genocide in Gaza,” she mentioned.
“If the one factor that they might accomplish is to make a baby in Gaza smile, they might have finished sufficient.”
