Football Team

A picture in black and white has been circulating on social media under the title of "Palestinian Football team 1909". 

Here is the true story behind the picture.

The football team photographed above is St. George’s School football team in Jerusalem. The team was formed in 1904. In 1909, it travelled to Beirut, where it played against the team of the American University of Beirut (AUB) and beat it 2-1. This was the first game played by a Palestinian team abroad against another Arab team, and it was known that AUB's team was one of the strongest teams in the Middle East. 

St. George’s School is one of the most prestigious schools in Palestine. It was established in 1899, and its notable alumni include: The Palestinian national poet Ibrahim Touqan; the leading literary critic and Palestinian advocate Edward Said; and the Lebanese geologist Ziad Beydoun.