Goal Dreams
Encyclopedia
Goal Dreams is a 2006 documentary by Maya Sanbar and Jeffrey Saunders, about the Palestinian
national football team preparing for the 2006 World Cup
qualifiers.
and its players must overcome obstacles of a physical, emotional, cultural and geographic nature just to exist. The film chronicles the lives of four Palestinian players hailing from different parts of the world during the team's preparation for their most important World Cup 2006 qualification match.
Austrian coach who was hired by the Palestinian FA to train the national team. He faces frustration caused by injured players and language barriers since there are players from Gaza
, West Bank
, Chile
, Sweden
and USA in the team. He is also frustrated by the fact that the players from Gaza cannot leave the strip since the Rafah-boarders are closed by Israel despite the players having special permission from FIFA
.
Morad Fareed
a Palestinian-American who grew up in a Jewish neighbourhood in New York. Despite the US support for Israel he loves both countries and shares both western and Arab values. The fact that the team cannot always practice together and that some translations are incorrect frustrates him.
Roberto Kettlun
born in Chile
to a Palestinian Chilean
father and plays for CD Palestino who represent the Arab community of Chile. He speaks both Spanish and English but Kettlun faces many problems with what he describes as "the arab reality" which means a more cruel reality, new language, culture and weather. He is one of coach Riedl's trusted players since he translates for the Spanish-speaking Palestinians.
Ramzi Saleh
the national team's goalkeeper who comes from the Gaza strip and wants to play for a club outside Palestine. The Israeli government's isolation of Gaza makes it difficult to play and he has to be away for a long time when leaving his home so he can provide his family with the basic necessities. He is fully devoted to representing the team as a player and ambassador.
Rami El-Hassan: Palestinian refugee who lives in Lebanon and has a dream of leaving the country since Palestinians are practically homeless according to him. The refugees are prohibited from working in some areas and cannot apply for Lebanese citizenship. During the documentary he struggles with an injury and hopes that he can play for Palestine despite the problems.
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
national football team preparing for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
qualifiers.
Plot
Goal Dreams is about personal and national identity as seen through a football team like no other. With players of multiple nationalities, speaking different languages and without a home field, the Palestine national football teamPalestine national football team
The Palestine national football team is the national team of the Palestinian Football Association, representing the Palestinian National Authority.The Palestine Football Federation was founded in 1952...
and its players must overcome obstacles of a physical, emotional, cultural and geographic nature just to exist. The film chronicles the lives of four Palestinian players hailing from different parts of the world during the team's preparation for their most important World Cup 2006 qualification match.
Cast
Alfred RiedlAlfred Riedl
Alfred Riedl is an Austrian football manager and a former striker. He is the former manager of Laos national football team.-Club career:...
Austrian coach who was hired by the Palestinian FA to train the national team. He faces frustration caused by injured players and language barriers since there are players from Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and USA in the team. He is also frustrated by the fact that the players from Gaza cannot leave the strip since the Rafah-boarders are closed by Israel despite the players having special permission from FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
.
Morad Fareed
Morad Fareed
Morad Fareed is a Palestinian-American entrepreneur and soccer player who was a member of the first Palestinian national soccer team, and is well known for his prominent role in the 2006 documentary Goal Dreams. He currently lives between Manhattan, New York, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Fareed...
a Palestinian-American who grew up in a Jewish neighbourhood in New York. Despite the US support for Israel he loves both countries and shares both western and Arab values. The fact that the team cannot always practice together and that some translations are incorrect frustrates him.
Roberto Kettlun
Roberto Kettlun
Roberto Karin Kettlun Beshe is a Palestinean international footballer who plays professionally for Italian club Virtus Casarano, as a midfielder.-Career:...
born in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
to a Palestinian Chilean
Palestinian Chilean
The Palestinian community in Chile is believed to be the largest Palestinian community outside of the Arab world. Estimates of the number of Palestinian descendants in Chile range from 350,000 to 500,000...
father and plays for CD Palestino who represent the Arab community of Chile. He speaks both Spanish and English but Kettlun faces many problems with what he describes as "the arab reality" which means a more cruel reality, new language, culture and weather. He is one of coach Riedl's trusted players since he translates for the Spanish-speaking Palestinians.
Ramzi Saleh
Ramzi Saleh
Ramzi Saleh is a Palestinian footballer. He plays the Goalkeeper position for Smouha of the Egyptian Premier League and is the current captain of the Palestine national football team...
the national team's goalkeeper who comes from the Gaza strip and wants to play for a club outside Palestine. The Israeli government's isolation of Gaza makes it difficult to play and he has to be away for a long time when leaving his home so he can provide his family with the basic necessities. He is fully devoted to representing the team as a player and ambassador.
Rami El-Hassan: Palestinian refugee who lives in Lebanon and has a dream of leaving the country since Palestinians are practically homeless according to him. The refugees are prohibited from working in some areas and cannot apply for Lebanese citizenship. During the documentary he struggles with an injury and hopes that he can play for Palestine despite the problems.
Production
Maya Sanbar and Jeffrey Saunders planned to make a documentary about the Palestinian national football team without involving politics. But they faced the fact that it was not possible since the team is affected by politics. The film crew interview and follow the team from their training camp in Ismailia, Egypt. The film crew also travelled to Great Britain, Chile, Lebanon, Gaza and the USA talking to the people involved in the Palestinian national team.External links
- Goal Dreams - official site
- [
- Film Review: "Goal Dreams" by Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, IMEU, SEP 13, 2006