Naji had a big dream—to become a famous soccer player like Ronaldo
Naji had a big dream—to become a famous soccer player like Ronaldo
A photo of Naji at 16, held tightly in his father's hands.
Naji, my special grandchild, left a big emptiness. He was kind and helped me with everything. I think of him all the time—he’s always in my heart.”That’s how his grandmother remembers Naji Nidal Al-Baba, a 16-year-old boy from Halhoul, Hebron, who was more like a grown man in the way he cared for his family.
Naji’s grandmother, in a moment of speaking about her grandson.
Naji had a big dream—to become a famous soccer player like Ronaldo.
He spent every moment on the field or in the alley, chasing that dream.
To his friends, he was the tallest and kindest. He never got tired of playing. When he scored a goal, he would run to hug his best friend Reda and say: “The dream is between my feet.”
Naji’s team honors his memory with a group photo.
But on November 3, 2024, everything changed.
While playing near his home after lunch, Naji was shot by Israeli forces during a raid.
He fell. And with him, the dream fell too.
Naji’s friend holds his T-shirt
His father, Nidal Abd Al-Mo’ty Al-Baba, remembers:
“He asked to go play for a little bit and said, ‘I won’t be late… I’ll finish my homework when I get back.’”
But he never came back.
“I saw him lying there, covered in foil, surrounded by soldiers. It was the hardest moment of my life. I wished it wasn’t him… but then I saw his new black shoes—the ones I had just bought him—and I knew.”
When the father tried to reach him, soldiers broke his hand and tied him next to Naji's body for over 40 minutes.
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