Al Hamlawi, the Palestinian striker who overcame a devastating injury, arrives at Getafe with the intention of scoring goals and showing that his return to football is more than a story of overcoming. The Romanian team Universidad Craiova will be the first opponent in the Conference League next Thursday, and the 25-year-old player has nine goals in the last month, including five for the Palestinian team.
The accident that almost cost him his life occurred in 2015 when the young man from Sweden was jumping on a trampoline and fell on the metal edge, breaking both legs. After the operation and a long rehabilitation, Al Hamlawi spent almost a year in a wheelchair and thought he would never walk again. His family, especially his father Ghassan, who had practiced gymnastics, soccer and taekwondo, supported him every step of the process. When he regained mobility, he returned to practicing somersaults, an activity that his father criticized but that the forward used to celebrate his goals.
Before arriving in Craiova, the player had played in Sweden, Thailand and Poland, and met former teammate Tudor Baluta at the Romanian club, who encouraged him to sign. Since his arrival in the summer of 2025, Al Hamlawi has been a key element in the team's attack, scoring six goals this season in domestic and European competitions, and adding nine in the last month. In the last round, after a 1-1 draw with Csikszereda, the striker failed to score, but he still has the ambition to surpass the figure of 16 goals from the previous season.
In the Conference League, Craiova has already demonstrated its scoring ability by overcoming Sarajevo with a 4‑0, where Al Hamlawi scored a hat trick. The player's father, who traveled from Sweden, was present in the stands and encouraged his son to continue playing after each goal. The striker has stated that he would like to score more than last season, and his goal is to continue contributing to both the club and the Palestinian national team.
The upcoming match against Getafe represents a new opportunity for Al Hamlawi to test his speed and precision against a Spanish defence. With a history of resilience and a recent scoring streak, the striker hopes to add to his tally and continue surprising Conference League fans.