For many years, di way European football dey respond to wetin dey happen for Palestine na silence, waka pass, and dem dey even seize flags wey show support for Palestine.

If fans carry Palestinian banners enter stadium, dem go quick remove am under di law wey talk say no political symbol dey allowed. If players from Gaza die, di official statements — if dem even talk at all — go dey use vague language like 'conflict' and 'tragedy' to describe wetin happen.

Di message clear: dem talk say politics no get place for football. But wetin dey happen for Gaza no be just politics matter; na humanitarian wahala wey football no fit ignore.

Recently, we don see plenty actions and decisions for football — from clubs, federations, former stars, and even governments — wey show say to dey neutral no go work again. For di past two years, fans don dey push di matter make football notice wetin dey happen.

For 2023, Celtic Park Green Brigade raise di call for solidarity, and from there, banners and tifos begin spread. Palestinian flags don turn normal thing for European football culture, even when stewards dey try seize dem.

Di grassroots movement don dey grow well well. One letter wey Scottish Sport for Palestine coordinate, wey dey demand make FIFA and UEFA 'red card Israel,' don get over seven million signatures from people all over di world. Every week, fans dey show say to keep quiet no be option.

Wetin we dey see no be just political statement, but na demand say make dem recognize di shared human responsibility wey we all get.

UEFA dey struggle to handle di pressure. For di Super Cup final for Udine dis August, dem display 'Stop killing children' banners and announce support for Palestine through foundation. But even as two Palestinian pikin stand for di podium during di medal ceremony, UEFA no fit call di aggressor name.

Wetin look like compassion quick turn to wetin people call 'empty show,' as UEFA dey try appear neutral but no wan take responsibility.

Spain dey lead di way. LaLiga president Javier Tebas surprise people when e talk say Palestinian flags dey allowed for stadiums. Athletic Club for Bilbao even go further: dem display banner for San Mames, partner with UNRWA to support refugee pikin, and announce historic friendly match between Palestine and Basque selection for November, wey di proceeds go help humanitarian work.

Di protests no stop for football alone. For La Vuelta a Espana dis year, di participation of Israel–Premier Tech team make plenty people dey shout boycott along di route. Fans for Spain don show say sport no fit close eye for di human suffering wey dey happen for Gaza.

Di Spanish government sef don go further. For September 15, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez talk say make dem ban Israel from international sport. E ask: 'Why dem expel Russia after di invasion of Ukraine but dem no expel Israel after di invasion of Gaza?' E even talk say Spain fit no go di 2026 World Cup.

For Norway, di Football Federation talk say dem go donate di money wey dem make from di match against Israel to Palestine. Dis one no be just symbol, but real support. For Italy, di National Coaches’ Association dey demand make dem suspend Israel, using di example of Russia. Public solidarity dey everywhere: during di national strike for Palestine, former goalkeeper Walter Zenga show him support.

Di tension no dey only for national teams. For club football, Maccabi Tel Aviv go play Aston Villa for UK for di Europa Conference League. With di way tins dey now, di match dey raise concern about fan safety and possible wahala. Di violent clashes wey happen for Ajax vs Maccabi Tel Aviv for Amsterdam earlier dis year show how tins fit escalate.

Amsterdam don take di matter further. Di city council approve motion to declare Maccabi Tel Aviv 'unwelcome' for di city, talk say Israeli clubs wey dey support occupation or racism no suppose dey hosted. Dis na big step, as dem dey talk say sport no fit dey neutral when human rights dey violated.

For London, Eric Cantona criticize football’s hypocrisy, accuse di governing bodies of dey apply sanctions anyhow. Wetin e talk touch people because e dey echo wetin fans don already know: neutrality no real. As Palestine coach Ihab Abu Jazar talk, 'To coach Palestine na form of resistance. You dey carry di hope and dey build di resilience of di people wey dey belong to am.'

Dis week, UEFA secretaries-general dey meet for Marbella, Spain, to 'align positions' with Israel matter dey background. Di meeting no fit impose sanctions, but di 55 federations fit draft common stance wey dem go carry go di executive committee. Di fact say Israel dey di agenda at all show how di debate don move.

Di urgency dey clear. Suleiman al-Obeid, wey dem dey call 'Palestinian Pele,' die for August while e dey queue for food aid. Palestine manager Abu Jazar talk say over 280 sports facilities don destroy and 774 people for Palestinian sport — players, coaches, federation staff — don die.

Even some officials for Israel dey admit say di situation don weak. Shlomi Barzel, wey be head of communications for Israel FA, talk say: 'E surprise me say we still dey part of international tournaments. For many ways, dis na miracle… historically, countries don dey suspend for less.' E warn say 'one more wahala for Gaza' fit end Israel’s participation 'sharp sharp,' and e admit say if UEFA or FIFA do free vote, Israel no go survive am.

Di idea say 'politics no get place for sport' don turn secondary to di more important principle: human life no get place for silence.

Di mantra say 'politics no get place for sport' don weak. Football don always dey political; di question na why dem dey see to stand for humanity as political. Russia dem expel from competition within days of di war for Ukraine. Israel still dey compete without any interruption.

When Gianni Infantino face question from Black Alliance for Peace about suspending Israel from di World Cup, e just smile — di kind smile wey show football no send as Palestinian athletes and facilities dey destroyed.

Football no ever neutral. E no neutral when dem expel South Africa during apartheid. E no neutral when dem ban Yugoslavia during war. E no neutral when dem cast out Russia after di Ukraine wahala, or when dem force Belarus teams to play for neutral ground because dem dey support Moscow.

All dis decisions don set example: di game no fit ignore mass violence without implicating itself. To allow Israel to dey play while Palestinian football dey destroyed no be neutrality, na complicity.

Fans don already understand dis one; dem don carry di flags, fill di terraces, and push di matter enter spotlight. Wetin remain na whether FIFA and UEFA go follow, or dem go dey remembered as people wey smile and delay while dem bomb one entire sporting culture comot.

History dey always write football’s choices for record. Di question no be whether di sport go take side; e don already take side. Di question na whether e go correct di path before silence turn one of di most shameful chapters for di beautiful game history.