Adidas tango league MVP aims to bring glory to Palestinian football
- Pranav Prasanna
- Jul 5, 2020
- 4 min read
Palestine is synonymous with conflict, but the football team is seeking to erase that notion. Having erupted into war in the late 1940s, thousands have been displaced across the region, and some have fled to different continents hoping to find a new livelihood. However, football in Palestine has thrived. Despite the hardships, qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup in 2015 and 2019 are major feats for the team. Their Under-23 squad also reached the quarter-finals of last year's AFC U-23 championship.
In the buildup to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the West Bank Premier League was winning fans and building confidence, but the decision to temporarily shut down took a toll on the momentum of the competition. The 2019 AFC Asian Cup saw the Palestinian diaspora unite for a common goal: bringing glory to its people through football. The support for the team, on and off the pitch has been immense. Among their supporters is a certain footballing prospect Baraa Ramiz.
People play 'the beautiful game' hoping to bring a difference in their community and a positive impact on their society. Baraa Ramiz, an attacking midfielder aged 25 years old, worked as a Local Organizing Committee of the AFC Asian Cup 2019, assisting in the organizing team of the tournament. He says: “I try to stay close to football as much as possible, and I want to make a difference”. In 2018, Baraa went on to win the MVP of the Adidas Tango League Dubai, making a trip to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he trained with Brazilian legend and Balon D'Or winner Kaka, Brazilian FIFA World Cup winner Cafu and Germany's World Cup winner Lukas Podolski. In this sport, fame, glory, and money follow players as they create their legacy, but Baraa's ambitions, for the time being, are simple, realistic, and humble in his ways. Baraa has one goal in mind: to represent the Palestinian National Team in major football tournaments.
The Palestinian Football Federation has long faced problems in training and playing due to ongoing conflicts between Israel and Palestine. Due to travel restrictions placed by Israel, people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have difficulty in obtaining an exit visa from Israel. In November 2006 (the last match of 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification group stage is scheduled), all players based inside the West Bank and Gaza Strip were denied exit visas. Stadiums have faced damages due to military conflicts between the two countries. Speaking to Baraa about the difficulties, he says: “my brother suggests that it is not possible to represent the Palestine team, but he says this without seeing the bigger picture. I ask, why not? I have a shot at this, and the only thing that would hold me back is making excuses." Like any athlete, his life has had twists, but the determination and will are ever so concrete. True to its tagline, the AFC Asian Cup 2019 is all about ‘Bringing Asia Together’ and celebrates a glittering future of Asian football.
Baraa’s journey started on the streets of the UAE, playing the sport with his friends. He said: “street football was all about magical skills and tricks, and I was able to make a lot of memories. My friends and I spent a lot of time together, and we would joke around about other players”, recalling his childhood days and how he grew into the game. Baraa entered his professional football career as a training coach and a player at regional sports. To grow, he believed it was time to build his network, and claimed the AFC Asian Cup to be the foundation for a brighter future. After joining the Local Organizing Team at Flash Entertainment in Abu Dhabi, Baraa’s talent fell upon the eyes of the employees at Hill+Knowlton Strategies. That was his ticket to the Adidas Tango League. ‘The Tango League’, a global football tournament won through a combination of football prowess and social clout with the added incentive of an Adidas boot deal.
“This way, I was introduced to the PR company Hill+Knowlton and the representatives from Adidas. I was invited to the tango league and I expressed Adidas. Once I won the best player trophy, I was allowed to continue my journey as an MVP to battle it out on the big stage at Russia during the 2018 world cup. I was going up against some of the best of footballers" Baraa recalled. "This trip is very important as it was a stepping stone for me, and I was able to meet my footballing icons such as Kaka and learn a lot from them. I am grateful for all the faith that the organizing team has put in me" he said.
“A spot in the national team, that's what drives me and I need to stay in the game. The situation in Palestine is something that stands out and people keep pointing it out, in a way that I cannot move forward", he continued. A concerned Baraa shared his views on the ideology of limited opportunities saying: "why not me, or why not us, if not now, who will do it for the (Palestine) country? The Palestinian soccer federation has been a member of FIFA since 1998 and plays in the Asian Football Confederation. The complexity of Palestinian football has forced the federation into acquiring players from across the globe who share Palestinian ancestry and the team at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 comprised of five Chileans, an American, a Slovenian, a Swede and was headed by an Algerian coach, which offered a more international feel to the atmosphere. Not knowing what lies ahead, Baraa trains better each day and pictures his destiny to be a place or a point in his life, where he celebrates his goals with the Palestinian national team and winning trophies with them.
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