In the middle of a war, between bombings and with a suspended league, the Palestinian soccer team landed in Doha this Wednesday to participate in the Asian Cup. They hope to bring some joy to a land devastated since war with Israel broke out last October.
The footballers arrived in Qatar wearing Palestinian scarves and were received by the authorities upon their arrival at Doha airport, where they will prepare for their debut against Iran on the 14th.
Palestine will also face the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong in the group stage. “Our goal is to qualify for the advanced rounds of the Asian Cup and show a face that pays tribute to Palestinian football,” said coach Makram Daboub. “Raising the Palestinian flag in international forums or continental competitions is an affirmation of Palestinian identity and the fact that in the land of Palestine there are a people who deserve freedom and a better life,” he added.
The serious situation that the country is experiencing overshadows all sporting activity. The players “follow the news before and after training, on the bus, in the hotel. They are anxious all the time and think about their families,” confesses the coach. Many of them have lost family and friends and have seen their homes destroyed.
In addition to emotional management, the sporting aspect has not been easy either. Championships in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been suspended since the start of the war in October. Conditions that are not the best to prepare for the Asian Cup: “We have physical, technical and tactical problems due to the suspension of the championship and the lack of competition, without forgetting the mental aspect,” Daboub acknowledged.
The Asian Cup starts on January 12 in Qatar and will run until February 10 with 24 teams participating. It is the third time that Palestine has qualified for a final tournament and has never progressed beyond the group stage. A milestone that it will try to achieve this time, defying all the difficulties that the country is experiencing.
