By Sammy Baroud

From his humble beginnings at Hilal Al Quds, Palestinian football star Oday Dabbagh first made history in Portugal. Now, he is at it again, this time in Belgium.

Palestinan footballer Oday Dabbagh scored his first goal for his new club, Royal Charleroi SC, on Saturday, July 29. 

Opening his goal-scoring account, in the first official match of the season, was a huge boost for the 24-year-old striker from Jerusalem. 

Dabbagh signed for Charleroi, in the Belgian Pro League, after a move over the summer from F.C. Arouca, in Liga Portugal. 

This transfer comes following a historic 2-year stint in the Portuguese League, which saw Dabbagh become the first Palestine national team player to play in a top European league. 

The move is a new opportunity for Dabbagh to really take leadership and develop himself into a star in Belgium. 

Indeed, this season, Dabbagh has been given the #9 shirt at Charleroi, which is representative of him being the first-choice striker for the club. 

A Star from Jerusalem: Palestinian Footballer Dabbagh is Destined for Greatness

Following a season where the Palestine national team player scored 11 goals in just 15 starts, Dabbagh is aiming for even more goals in Belgium. 

An impressive performance in Belgium could potentially put the Jerusalem striker on the radar of scouts from giants of European football. 

Dabbagh’s story has been an underdog story from being a young player in the occupied West Bank – lining up for Hilal Al Quds – to blazing his trail to the top football leagues of Europe. 

Dabbagh is definitely a diamond in the rough that has played the majority of his career under the radar of scouts from Europe’s elite.

His first goal for Charleroi is only the beginning of the journey in Belgium for the Jerusalemite Palestinian football star.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

– Sammy Baroud is a young Palestinian-American Sports Writer and an aspiring footballer. He contributed this article to the Palestine Chronicle. Follow him @sammybaroud