The academy was created three years ago and now serves about 60 children and teenagers, including players from outside the Palestinian-American community. The report says coach Omar Abdulaziz built the programme to teach football’s place in Palestinian culture while giving affected youngsters somewhere safe to gather.
“We heard their frustrations; they were not emotionally well,” Abdulaziz said. His own move from the West Bank to Puerto Rico as a teenager has shaped the way he approaches the players.
For Abdulaziz, the value of training goes beyond technique. “O futebol, para nós, é um momento de desconexão, um momento de tranquilidade, um momento para se desprender do sofrimento da realidade,” he said - football is a moment of calm and disconnection from suffering.
Among the academy’s most influential figures is Lamine Yamal, whose focus and confidence have made him a powerful role model. Obaida Al Amleh admires the way the Spain forward appears to block out everything around him once the match begins.
The report says Yamal’s identity matters too. The Barcelona attacker, the son of immigrants in Spain, has opposed anti-Muslim chants and was seen with a Palestinian flag during celebrations of a La Liga title. Images of that moment reportedly became phone wallpapers for several academy players.
Obaida, who was born in the West Bank, described losing five close family friends in an airstrike. When he received the news, he called teammates to the field despite having no scheduled session.
“Você pode jogar bola no campo ou chorar em casa,” he said: you can play football on the pitch or cry at home.
With the 2026 World Cup bringing global attention to New Jersey, the academy’s next chapter will be worth watching. Its biggest achievement may remain simple: keeping young players connected, supported and able to imagine a future through football.