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 make 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 public reaction impacted Abbas Haider’s perspective on his daughter’s situation and the wider implications of the conflict?
**Interview with Abbas Haider, Father of Celine Haider: A Dream Interrupted by War**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Mr. Haider. We’re deeply saddened by what your daughter, Celine, is going through. Can you tell us about Celine’s journey and her dreams in football?
**Abbas Haider:** Thank you for having me. Celine has always had a passion for football. For as long as I can remember, she dreamed of playing for the Lebanese women’s national team and even aspired to compete internationally, inspired by legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Her hard work was finally paying off, and she was poised to make her dreams a reality.
**Interviewer:** It must be devastating for you and your family to see her caught in the crossfire of this conflict. Can you share what happened during the airstrike that injured her?
**Abbas Haider:** Yes, tragically, it was an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Celine had returned to the area for her education and training despite the ongoing violence. On Saturday, I called to warn her about new evacuation orders, and she left home. Just a short while later, I received the shocking news that she had been hospitalized due to severe injuries from the blast.
**Interviewer:** The social media response to her situation has been overwhelming. What are your thoughts on the public reaction and the attention her story is receiving?
**Abbas Haider:** It is both comforting and heartbreaking. My daughter has become a symbol of the plight that so many are facing in this war. People are now recognizing her because of this tragedy, which is not the way we wanted her to gain attention. Celine is a fighter; I believe she will rise from this. But it pains me to witness her dreams being shattered by a war she had no part in.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned that Celine had sent a message to her mother before the incident. Can you recount that moment for us?
**Abbas Haider:** Just an hour before the airstrike, she texted her mother asking for her favourite meals. It was such a normal, joyful moment. But shortly after, we received the call about her injury, and everything turned into chaos. To see her lying unconscious, her future now in jeopardy due to circumstances beyond her control—it’s unimaginable.
**Interviewer:** As a father, how are you coping with this situation, and what do you hope for Celine’s future?
**Abbas Haider:** It’s incredibly difficult. My heart breaks every day, but I have to stay strong for her. My hope is that Celine will recover and that she can still pursue her dreams, not just in football but in life. I want the world to remember her not just for this tragedy but for her courage and resilience.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Mr. Haider, for sharing your story with us. Our thoughts are with Celine and your family during this challenging time.
**Abbas Haider:** Thank you for bringing attention to Celine’s story. I appreciate your support and hope it can help others understand the impact of this conflict.
