“Soccer is a place to tell our stories and a reason to smile,” Palestinian coach Ehab Addu Jazar said in an interview with EL PAÍS. Now, the Palestinian people have another reason to smile in the midst of the inhumane situation caused by Israeli genocide. San Mamés experienced a historic night when football became a great show of solidarity. Up to 51,396 people filled the stadium to watch the duel between Euskadi and Palestine. The match went beyond sport and transformed Bilbao into a space of support, vindication and remembrance for the Palestinian people. Between banners, condolences and overwhelming silence, Basque fans turned the stands into a collective cry for peace and justice. Euskadi won 3-0 with goals from Elguezabal, Grzeta and Urko Izeta.
Bilbao had the scent of a special occasion, the atmosphere of a great date, and the smell of something more than a soccer match. From a very early stage, groups of fans began to gather with chants, flags, and messages of support in an atmosphere of sporting celebration and social consciousness. Beyond the purely soccer aspect, there was a distinctly protest atmosphere on the day. Demonstrations and commemorations in solidarity with the Palestinian people. One of the many emotional moments experienced in Bilbao took place in front of the Arriaga Theater, where thousands of people had gathered to pay their respects to the deceased Palestinian players. The Palestine El-Qaltasna platform counts the deaths of 1,300 elite athletes, including 894 Olympic athletes.
Once on the field, the party was absolute. More than 50,000 people experienced one of the most extraordinary rallies in memory at the San Mamés stand, expressing their support for the Palestinian people by holding up banners and symbols of solidarity, condemnation and determination. The local fans applauded loudly as the Palestinian players warmed up, but the most exciting moment came minutes before the match, when a large tricolor tifo was raised. In one of the backgrounds, fans held up a banner with the motto “Gola Palestine Elesistenzia”.
Before the ball started rolling, Ehab Abu Jazar’s team posed with a “stop the genocide” banner, while Euskadi held up similar demands for the day as another team supporting the public office. As the Palestinian Askatu sound echoed throughout the stadium with unusual force, both teams posed with the message of peace, “Bakea Peace,” and held an impressive moment of silence in memory of all the victims of Gaza.
The San Mamés event will forever stand as an example of the power of sport to build bridges, make injustice visible and unite thousands of people around a common cause. It was a night when football became a megaphone, a collective embrace and expression of humanity for those who continue to fight to maintain their identity.
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