Football is a rare source of happiness for Yemenis, a breath of fresh air in the midst of their struggles.
When the national teams succeed, it sparks a shared sense of pride and unity, especially considering the tough times brought about by war.
Despite the joyous celebrations of Yemenis in different regions over the national youth team’s triumph in the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Championship, the Houthi group sees it differently.
They’re trying to use the victory to push their own agenda, even as their leader threatens more trouble in the Red Sea.
It's a tale of two reactions to the same soccer win – one of unity and joy, and the other, unfortunately, of division and conflict.
Houthi leaders have called for turning the victory of the youth national team in the WAFF Championship into an opportunity to celebrate the group’s practices and claims.
They aim to exploit the sporting achievement to promote the group’s agenda, portraying themselves as instrumental in this success.
Simultaneously, they plan to use it as a tool to criticize both internal and external opponents of the group.
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the cousin of the group's leader, announced that the celebration for the national team would take place on the ship “Galaxy Leader,” which the group seized on Nov.19.
He expressed solidarity with Gaza during the celebration and showed readiness to celebrate the team on Omani soil, where the championship took place.
Houthi leader Kamal al-Sharif, on his part, claimed that the achievement of the Yemeni youth national team for the second time comes as a result of the efforts and support provided by Houthis in preparing and backing the team, facing the difficulties and challenges brought about by the war.
