- 21
- Nov.
- 2024
The young Lebanese footballer Celine Haidar, 19 years old, is currently in critical condition after being severely injured during an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last Saturday. A member of the national team and the emerging captain of Beirut Football Academy (BFA), the young athlete is now fighting for her life, plunging the entire Lebanese sporting community into uncertainty and pain.
On November 16, while walking through the Chiyah neighborhood in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Celine Haidar was struck on the head by debris from an Israeli airstrike. The young woman, who suffered a severe head trauma, was rushed to a hospital in Hadath before being transferred to Saint George's Hospital, where a first surgery was successfully performed. However, her condition remains concerning, as doctors observed a persistent brain hemorrhage. Despite the surgery, the long-term effects of the injury remain unknown, and the extent of the brain damage can only be assessed once she emerges from her coma.
Maroun Mahfoud, the communication manager for the national team, expressed the shared anxiety of Celine's family and teammates to This is Beirut: "Celine is a beloved player, one of the best in the league. Many people, both in Lebanon and within the BFA, are anxiously awaiting news of her recovery. We still don’t know the full extent of the damage to her brain, nor its effects. We’ll have to wait. For now, her condition is stable," Mahfoud stated. "No one can predict what will happen. We’re living day by day," added Ziad Saadé, president of BFA.
A Promising Career
Before this tragic accident, Celine Haidar was on the verge of fulfilling her dream of representing Lebanon on the international stage. After leading BFA to the Lebanese Women's Championship title in the 2023-2024 season, she was set to join the national team for a match against Iran, scheduled for October, but it was canceled due to the ongoing conflict. In 2022, she had already shone with the U-18 national team, winning the West Asian Women’s Cup. A meteoric rise for this young woman, who was already known for her intelligence on the field and her ability to control the midfield.
Impact on the Lebanese Sporting Community
The news of Celine's injury sent shockwaves through Lebanese football. Messages of support have poured in, highlighting the important place she holds in the hearts of her teammates and coaches.
Her former national team coach, Joanna Hamzé, praised her talent in the media, calling Celine "one of the smartest players" she had ever had the privilege to work with. A video circulating on social media deeply moved viewers. It shows the young woman lying on the ground, her face bloodied, while a young man beside her kneels, crying. As a result, online fundraisers have been launched to support her family during this difficult time and to finance potential rehabilitation, with the Lebanese Ministry of Health committing to cover the medical expenses. The solidarity around the young footballer is palpable, but the pain and uncertainty remain.
A Fight for Life
Celine Haidar is currently still fighting for her life. Her condition remains "stable but critical," and although her prognosis is uncertain, her loved ones continue to hold on to hope for her awakening. Doctors are closely monitoring her condition, hoping that the gradual reduction of sedatives will reveal whether the young woman will ever emerge from her coma and pursue her dream—a dream that now seems suspended in time.
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