Lebanon Of Footballer Celine Haider was about to make her dream of playing for her country’s women’s team a reality, but the 19-year-old has been put into a medically induced coma after being injured in an Israeli airstrike.
Selene Haider’s family was among more than a million people who fled south Beirut and other Hezbollah strongholds due to Israeli bombardment after fighting broke out in September.
“But Celine had to return to (south) Beirut for her education and training,” her father Abbas Haider told AFP news agency.
He said that ‘after the announcement of evacuation or the bombing intensified, she would leave the house and then she would return home to sleep at night.’
Now he is another player, who became a victim of Israeli attacks. The attacks have already forced the Lebanese Football Association to indefinitely suspend football competitions in their country.
On Saturday, her father called to warn her of new evacuation orders posted online by the Israeli army, and she left home.
But soon after, ‘my wife called me to tell me Celine was in the hospital,’ he said.
She was seriously injured in an Israeli attack on her hometown, when the air force struck the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The skull was fractured
The video, which shows Celine Haider lying unconscious on the ground, her face covered in blood, while a young man near her cries in pain, has taken Lebanese social media by storm.
An unidentified handout photo obtained from the Lebanese Football Association on Nov. 19, 2024 shows Lebanese footballer Celine Haider celebrating with the tournament cup after a soccer match in Jordan (Lebanese Football Association via A FP)
His mother, Sana Shahroor, told the news agency AFP that the attack happened nearby and hit him in the head. My daughter has a brain haemorrhage, her skull is fractured.’
Shahroor said her daughter had sent her a message, asking her to cook her favorite dishes, but ‘an hour later her friend called to say she was injured.’
“My daughter is a heroine, she will rise,” he said. His eyes were red with tears.
He said, ‘She used to dream of competing abroad. She wants to be like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. She wanted to be a star and wanted everyone to talk about her.
Now everyone is talking about her because she got injured in a war she had nothing to do with. They have shattered their dreams.’
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Warriors in the field
Haider was a key player for her club Beirut Football Academy (BFA), which won the Lebanese Women’s Football League last season without dropping a single point, and is set to take over as captain this season.
The midfielder was also part of the national women’s under-18 team that won the 2022 West Asian Football Federation Championship.
Team manager Ziyad Saadi said that he is now in a medically induced coma.
“Doctors are monitoring him closely,” his father told AFP from Beirut’s St. Georges Hospital.
‘But her injuries are serious, we hope she will recover slowly,’ said her father with teary eyes. We are paying for something that is not our fault.’
Lebanese authorities say that more than 3,544 people have been killed since the exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel began in October last year.
“On the field, she is a warrior, playing in the middle position to get the ball to the strikers,” coach Samir Barbari said during her visit to the hospital. She is a phenomenal girl and a great player.’
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How has the recent airstrike impacted Celine Haider’s family and their hopes for her future in sports?
**Interview with Abbas Haider, Father of Lebanese Footballer Celine Haider**
*Interviewer:* Thank you, Mr. Haider, for joining us today under such difficult circumstances. Can you start by telling us about Celine’s journey as a young footballer?
*Abbas Haider:* Thank you for having me. Celine has always been passionate about football. Since she was a little girl, she dreamt of playing for the national team. At just 19, she was on the verge of making that dream come true. She worked incredibly hard, balancing her education and training despite the challenging situation in Lebanon.
*Interviewer:* It must have been very stressful for you and your family since the increase in bombings in Lebanon. Can you share what happened leading up to the incident?
*Abbas Haider:* Yes, it has been extremely difficult. Our family was among many who fled to the south due to the Israeli bombardments. Celine returned to south Beirut for her education and training, believing it was important for her future. The day before the airstrike, I warned her about evacuation orders I saw online from the Israeli army. She left home but tragically returned to the area close to the attack.
*Interviewer:* The reports indicate that Celine was seriously injured in an airstrike. Can you tell us more about her condition now?
*Abbas Haider:* Celine is currently in a medically induced coma. She suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured skull and a brain hemorrhage. When I received the news, my heart sank. One moment she was messaging me about her favourite foods, and the next, I was receiving a call about her being hospitalized.
*Interviewer:* How has Celine’s injury affected you and your family?
*Abbas Haider:* We are devastated. My wife, Sana, and I are heartbroken. It’s incredibly painful to see our daughter, who aspired to be like her heroes—Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi—forced into the spotlight for reasons beyond her control. Instead of celebrating her achievements, we find ourselves in this nightmare due to the war.
*Interviewer:* What message do you have for others regarding Celine and the situation in Lebanon?
*Abbas Haider:* I want people to understand that this war affects lives and dreams, especially of young people like Celine. She had so much potential and had plans to compete internationally. Now, everyone knows her name not for her talent but because she became a victim of violence. I plead for peace, so no other parent has to endure this heartbreak.
*Interviewer:* Thank you, Mr. Haider, for sharing Celine’s story and your family’s experiences during this crisis. We wish Celine a speedy recovery and hope for peace in Lebanon.
*Abbas Haider:* Thank you for your kind words. We all hope for a better future, free from violence.
