It is… A Team That Fights

The Palestinian national team is no longer just a squad participating in a regional championship or seeking to represent its country with honor; it has become a symbol of the spirit of a nation standing against all odds. At the 2025 Arab Cup, the "Feda'i" appeared in an unprecedented manner, displaying a team that knows no surrender, fighting for every ball, turning faith into performance, and pressure into achievement. From winning against Qatar in the first round to the epic draw against Tunisia, the players proved that Palestine can create joy despite the wounds and raise its name high on the football fields just as in the arenas of resilience.

When the Palestinian team defeated its Qatari counterpart with a last-minute goal, some believed it was merely a fleeting surprise. Others thought luck played its part and that the missed opportunities of the Qatari players granted Palestine the victory points. However, the match against Tunisia came to reveal the truth: this is a team that fights, not winning by chance and not backing down before the giants. In facing a heavyweight team like the Eagles of Carthage, the Feda'i fell behind 2-0, and it could have crumbled, but it chose another path... the path of return.

The players exhibited a different character; the team that finished the first half in retreat came back in the second half with a tremendous mental and physical transformation. Hamid Hamdan's powerful strike in the 61st minute was not just a goal but an announcement of the real battle beginning. The ball came from the heart of a player who knows he carries a nation on his shoulders, it found the net, lifting the spirits of his teammates and the fans. And when Zaid Qanbar's killer goal came in the 85th minute, the scene became more beautiful and resolute. A shot powered by the strength of the land from which he came, a shot that declared that Palestine does not surrender, no matter the circumstances.

This strength was not born of the moment, but rather the fruit of meticulous and patient work led by coach Ihab Abu Jzar, the man who guided the team from a phase of fluctuation to a phase of certainty. Abu Jzar did not settle for devising a game plan; he crafted a complete identity for the team; an identity based on courage, pressure, and playing with exceptional team spirit. His ability to read matches, his psychological approach with players, and his constant emphasis on the "fighting spirit" made the team display the character of major teams. Every movement on the touchline, every instruction, every shout from the bench served as a new spark igniting the players' enthusiasm and pushing them to give more than they have. Abu Jzar proved he is not just a coach but a leader who masters the art of building men before building strategies.

The significant role of the professional players in the Egyptian and Qatari leagues cannot be overlooked, as they provided the team with strength and vital exposure evident in both matches. The power of shooting, physical presence, and confidence in individual confrontations are elements that came as a result of accumulated experience reflected remarkably on the performance of the "Feda'i". Likewise, the local players showed courage no less than that of the professionals, as every ball was a battle, every intervention was a defense of the homeland, and every goal was a message that transcended the pitch.

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of the team's journey is the joy that spread across Palestine from end to end. The joy of fans in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the diaspora, the joy of children who found in the team a window of hope amidst the darkness, and the joy of families that heard for the first time in a long time a cry of victory rather than a cry of pain. Coach Abu Jzar said it sincerely: "The team is the only smile of a people living daily suffering." This alone suffices to show the magnitude of responsibility carried by the players, and the value that every goal and point holds.

The Feda'i today is not just a team playing football but a voice of Palestine in sports arenas, and a message of steadfastness sent to the world through the green grass. Every match it plays is not just a competition but a platform to raise the flag and convey the truth: that Palestine exists, alive, fighting, and rising despite the pain.

Qualification may not be secured yet, but what has been secured is something much greater: respect from the Arabs, love from the fans, and the belief of Palestinians that they have a team capable of joy and fighting at the same time. This is a team that does not fear hardships, does not break, and does not retreat.
It is… a team that fights.