Saeb Jendeya. 70 caps- all as national team captain. Two bronze medals. And that goal (see above).
It’s hard to sum up Jendeya’s career in a couple of sentences. His nine-year career with the national team has seen him participate in every major accomplishment during that time. The National team’s first wins in a friendly, World Cup qualifier, Asian Cup qualifier, the 8-0 vs. Chinese Taipei, the 11-0 vs. Guam, credible draws vs. Iraq and Iran.
You name it he’s done it and he goes out on a high note having captained the beach soccer team to a bronze medal at the Asian Beach Games- losing only to eventual champions Iran.
Jendeya’s club career is not as glamorous as some of his national team counterparts- with only a brief stint abroad with Jordan’s Al-Hussein Irbid in between a long career with his hometown side Ittihad Shajeya. But it is hard to think of a more influential player for Palestine on and off the pitch. Jendeya was the key player during the early years where Palestine had to bunker and counter for any chance of registering a result.
Forced into early international retirement by an Israeli travel ban, Jendeya left a huge void in the national team defence and was perhaps the key reason why Palestine went nearly five years without a win.
