Following Lamine Yamal, Sacha Boey raises Palestinian flag during Turkish league title celebration

French player Sacha Boey captured attention during Galatasaray’s Turkish League title celebrations when he appeared wrapped in the Palestinian flag amid the festivities held on Friday evening, a scene that garnered widespread interaction on social media platforms.

Fans on social media platforms circulated videos and photos of the 24-year-old French player holding the Palestinian flag on the pitch during the title celebrations, a moment that highlighted the recurring presence of Palestinian symbolism in the Turkish club’s celebrations over recent years.

Boey is considered one of Galatasaray’s most prominent players in recent seasons, operating as a right-back. He previously had a stint with German club Bayern Munich before returning to the Turkish league.

Sacha Boey joins the tradition

This was not the first time the Palestinian flag appeared in Galatasaray’s celebrations. Moroccan star Hakim Ziyech previously wore the Palestinian flag during the team’s Turkish League title celebrations in May 2024, coinciding with the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which also sparked wide interaction across social media at the time.

Ziyech then posted a video clip on his verified Instagram account showing him wrapping the Palestinian flag around his body as he descended onto the pitch to celebrate the title win with his teammates.

Boey’s appearance with the Palestinian flag comes just a few days after the controversy sparked by young Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, after he raised the Palestinian flag during his team’s Spanish League title celebrations. This incident drew a widespread wave of Israeli anger, reaching the point of him being attacked by Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, who incited against the player and called on his club to “discipline” him, according to Israeli media reports.

In contrast, Yamal received political and popular support in Spain, where Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended him, stressing that expressing solidarity with Palestine aligns with the official position of the Spanish government supporting the recognition of a Palestinian state and a ceasefire in Gaza.

Galatasaray club and its fans are known for their repeated pro-Palestine stance. The team’s stands have witnessed the raising of solidarity banners with Palestinians on several occasions, condemning the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

During matches in February 2025, the Turkish club’s fans raised banners reading: “The world will remain captive if Palestine is not free,” alongside other slogans demanding an end to the “genocide” in Gaza, scenes that received widespread coverage across media and social platforms, as reported by Anadolu Agency.

Featured image via Haberler

By Alaa Shamali

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