December 10th, 2023: This Week in Palestinian Football

All that has happened this week as the national team starts its Qatar 2023 preparations in Algeria.

35 days. That is the amount of time that separates us from Palestine’s opening match against Iran at the 2023 (hosted in 2024) Asian Cup.

There are several moving pieces in the lead up to the continent’s showpiece. A return to league football Palestine is totally out of the question and as such the national team will have adapt to a new reality.

Media Watch

Palestinian football team determined to ‘put Palestine on the world map’ (Le Monde)

Mahmoud Wadi interview with Saba7o Koora (in Arabic):

Palestinians Abroad

The reaction. This was the most important element post international break for many of the players who have not let up with their club teams. This week featured a stellar performance in the Cup competitions. Tamer Seyam hit two goals in a 6-1 rout of Navy FC with his club Prachuap FC.

Later that day, Oday Dabbagh scored the opener in Charleroi’s Belgain Cup Round of 16 match against Royal Antwerp:

Other key players plying their trade abroad have contributed in key ways over the last week. Mohammed Rashid scored in the AFC Cup for Bali United but has been left out of the squad over the last two weeks due to niggling injuries.

Algeria Camp Confirmed

Palestine will travel to Algeria this week to participate in a ten-day preparatory camp aimed at getting domestic players fit and ready to go. Due to the inability of payers based abroad to join, Makram Daboub has supplemented the squad with Olympic Team Players.

No confirmation has been given as to the full squad list but sources have confirmed to Football Palestine that all the players due to make the trip have either been part of the Olympic Team or National Team set up in the last year.

Looking ahead to Qatar 2023