Lebanese footballer Celine Haidar, just 19 years old, was on the brink of fulfilling her dream of representing her country’s national women’s football team. However, her aspirations came to a tragic halt when debris from an Israeli strike left her in a medically induced coma.
After war broke out in September, Haidar’s family fled from southern Beirut and other Hezbollah-dominated areas, like over a million others, to escape relentless Israeli bombings.
A Return to Danger
“Celine had to come back to southern Beirut for her studies and football training,” said her father, Abbas Haidar. Despite the dangers, Celine continued to leave home during evacuation alerts and bombing raids, returning at night to rest.
On Saturday, Abbas warned his daughter of new evacuation orders issued online by the Israeli military. Celine left their home but soon after, her mother, Sanaa Sharhour, called him with devastating news: their daughter had been critically injured during an Israeli airstrike on her neighborhood in Shiyah.
A Promising Career Cut Short
Footage of Celine lying unconscious and bleeding went viral across Lebanese social media, capturing the hearts of many. “She has a brain hemorrhage and a cracked skull,” her mother explained, recalling that just hours before the strike, Celine had asked her to prepare her favorite meal.
“She dreamt of becoming a football star like Ronaldo or Messi. Now everyone talks about her because she’s a victim of a war she had nothing to do with,” said Sanaa, tearfully.
Celine was a key player for the Beirut Football Academy (BFA), helping them win the Lebanese Women’s Football League last season without a single defeat. She was also a standout in the national Under-18 team that claimed the 2022 West Asian Football Federation championship. This season, she was set to captain her club team.
Hope Amid Devastation
Currently in a medically induced coma, her doctors are monitoring her closely. “Her injuries are severe, but we are praying she heals,” said her father from Beirut’s Saint-Georges Hospital. “We’re paying the price for a conflict we didn’t start.”
Her coach, Samer Barbari, described her as an exceptional player and team leader, adding, “On the field, she’s a fighter. She linked our defense and attack seamlessly.”
The Toll of War on Lebanon
Since Hezbollah began exchanging fire with Israel in October, over 3,544 people have been killed in Lebanon, with most casualties occurring after September’s escalation. Haidar is now one of the many lives affected by the ongoing conflict, and her story serves as a painful reminder of the innocent dreams shattered by war.
