Although Morocco is officially the biggest winner of the FIFA Qatar 2025 Arab Cup after winning the title, and with Mohamed Rabie Hrimat winning the Best Player award, Mehdi Benabid winning Best Goalkeeper, and Abdelrazak Hamdallah winning Man of the Match in the final, anyone who followed the Palestinian team knows that they are the biggest winners in terms of historic achievements and inspiring moments during the tournament.

The Palestinian team are the real winners

Palestine began their journey with an exciting victory over Libya in the qualifiers on penalties, before reaching the quarter-finals, where they bid farewell to the Arab Cup after an epic clash with Saudi Arabia that ended 2-1 after extra time. Sports journalist Uday Kharoub said that the Saudi team ‘stole the victory’ from Palestine, referring to the strength of Palestine’s performance and its ability to compete with one of the strongest teams in the tournament until the last minute.

Much of the credit goes to coach Ihab Abu Jazar, who led a fierce team that achieved many surprises, starting with a 1-0 victory over host Qatar, followed by forcing Tunisia to a 2-2 draw after the Eagles of Carthage took a two-goal lead, and then a goalless draw with Syria, confirming that Palestine had come to challenge and not just to participate.

After their historic qualification for the round of 16 in the 2023 Asian Cup, Palestine continued to make history in the Arab Cup, not only qualifying for the quarter-finals, but also topping Group A, recording their best ever achievement in the knockout stages of major tournaments.

Unforgettable historical moments at the Arab Cup

Palestine’s journey in the Arab Cup can be summarised in several key points:

The joy of the Gaza crowds:

Despite the suffering of war and difficult conditions, videos and photos emerged from Palestinian tents and neighbourhoods documenting unprecedented joy, with celebrations and cheers filled with joy amid Palestinian flags raised on roads and squares. These moments showed how the team was able to give Palestinians a sense of unity and hope, and bring smiles amid a reality full of daily challenges and difficulties.

Widespread global interaction:

Despite the participation of many teams, none of them received the same attention as Palestine, which dominated global headlines, with the media and social networking sites discussing the team’s achievements and surprises, reinforcing its status as an example of Palestinian will and determination.

Strong competition with Saudi Arabia:

Palestine showed its ability to compete until the last moment in the quarter-finals, with observers describing it as a strong opponent for the Saudi team, reflecting the team’s improved performance and the professionalism of its players.

Statements by national team goalkeeper Rami Hamada, in which he referred to his participation in the tournament despite not being affiliated with any club at the time, and his training with Qatar’s Al-Markhiya Club in preparation for the Arab Cup, reflecting the players’ commitment and readiness for the history made by the team.

An upward trend… towards a golden generation

At a time when many teams have emerged from the Arab Cup with significant gains, the Palestinian team’s upward performance from the Asian Cup to the Arab Cup proves that the Fedayeen are undergoing an unprecedented phase of development, opening the door to the possibility of a ‘golden generation’ of Palestinian football in the coming period.

Palestine undoubtedly left the tournament with a wealth of achievements and historic moments that prove it to be one of the most inspiring and distinguished teams in the 2025 Arab Cup.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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