Aussie cricket star Usman Khawaja speaks out ahead of Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier against Palestine – ‘playing a country that our government doesn’t even recognise’
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Australian cricket star Usman Khawaja sparked controversy ahead of the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier against Palestine on Tuesday by declaring that “we are playing against a country that our government doesn’t even recognize.”
Proudly Muslim, Pakistani-born Khawaja, 37, asked his followers on X – the social media platform formerly known as Twitter – if the Socceroos were ‘not playing with anyone’.
It was a blunt reference to the Australian government’s refusal to officially recognize Palestine as a country due to continued horrific scenes in the war-torn Gaza country.
‘I can’t wait for this. Palestinian flags will fly throughout Perth’s HBF Park.
‘And they can’t ban them. Likewise, I’m confused as to how we play a country that our government doesn’t even recognize? Is this Socceroos against Nobody?
Australian cricket star Usman Khawaja has sparked controversy ahead of the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier against Palestine by declaring that ‘we are playing against a country that our government doesn’t even recognise’
Proudly Muslim, Pakistani-born Khawaja, 37, asked his followers on X – the social media platform formerly known as Twitter – if the Socceroos were ‘not playing with anyone’
It was a blunt reference to the Australian government’s refusal to officially recognize Palestine as a country due to ongoing horrific scenes in the war-torn country in Gaza (photo: Palestinian football team ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Lebanon)
“It’s all very confusing,” he says posted on Tuesday.
Khawaja’s post received widespread support online, with one follower declaring it an ‘ironic situation’.
Another said: ‘Well said Usman. I love that the [Palestine] flags will be everywhere.”
A third weighed in: “Standing for humanity! Come on, Perth, make that stadium red, white and green.”
On the pitch, Graham Arnold’s men have already progressed to the next stage of qualifying after winning their first five matches and not conceding a goal.
Players like Alessandro Circati, Gethin Jones, Martin Boyle, Mathew Leckie and Cameron Burgess have good chances of getting a starting spot against Palestine, after they did not play against Bangladesh on June 6 in Dhaka.
The away team – who have also already qualified – are in second place and remain on course to play in the World Cup for the first time ever.
Midfielder Mohammed Rashid is well aware that the national team’s performances provide much-needed hope for locals in war-torn Palestine
Their only defeat came against Australia – a 1-0 defeat in November – and midfielder Mohammed Rashid said competing in a World Cup would be the ultimate achievement for his side.
“People right now this is the only thing they are looking at, this is the only thing that gives them hope: seeing their national team advance and go to the next rounds that we have never made it to before,” he said.
“So for us this is a big motivation to see the support that even as the war continues we see pictures of people watching the games in Gaza and all over Palestine.
‘So this gives us a lot of hope. And hopefully this will keep us going, but we pray that everything will stop and that peace will reign in the area, because basically enough is enough.”
It comes as more than 35,000 people are estimated to have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas in Gaza in October.