Palestinians in Gaza City gathering to watch a World Cup match between Egypt and Argentina on July 7.
This image captures a moment of collective disappointment — it’s the moment a group of Palestinians watched Argentina score the winning goal against Egypt in a gripping World Cup match.
Minutes earlier, the people in this photo had been on the verge of celebrating what had seemed destined to become a memorable Egyptian victory.
I did not go out that day intending to work or photograph a story. I had simply gone to watch football, joining a large crowd that had gathered to support the Egyptian team. I watched the entire first half without carrying a camera or taking a single photograph.
But as the match went on, I found myself mentally composing photographs without actually taking them. Eventually, I walked back to my car, retrieved my camera and began do***enting. For me, this photograph is about more than football. It captures a rare moment in which people living through extraordinary hardship came together to experience joy, hope and a sense of belonging — and then, like football fans all over the world, disappointment.
