Lebanese youth footballer injured in Israeli strike determined to return to the pitch

BEIRUT: Shining young Lebanese footballer Celine Haidar is refusing to let a critical head injury she sustained after an Israel airstrike keep her down, and is determined to recover and return to the pitch.
“No pain, no gain … I am very gratified with where I’ve reached in my rehabilitation. Actually I’m surprised … I want to return to football once I complete my physiotherapy and retain my fitness,” Haidar, a 20-year-old youth international, told Arab News on Saturday.
Speaking at Mgr Cortbawi Institute and Rehabilitation Hospital, where she has stayed since waking up from a two-month coma in January, Haidar said she does not recall what happened on the ill-fated day of Nov.

16.
Her father, Abbas Haidar, said his daughter was hit in the head by a piece of flying shrapnel while fleeing their home in Beirut’s southern suburb during Israeli airstrikes.
Haidar, who captains her club, Beirut Football Academy, said: “I don’t remember exactly what happened. All I’m confident of is that I am determined to return to football once I am done with my treatment here in the best rehab center in Lebanon.”
The footballer, who was 19 when she got injured, says her treatment has been a “long and hard journey,” but now “it’s getting better.
“I’ve made a big improvement.

I thank Allah the almighty. There’s nothing that could kill faithful people, and I will never give up because only losers do,” Haidar said when asked if she would return to the sport.
Speaking about her teammates’ support, she added: “The team have been caring about my health, and constantly check on me.