Club Deportivo Palestino, Chile’s Liga de Primera and the Palestinian community in Santiago are the focus of this episode of Why We Love This Club, exploring one of world football’s most distinctive stories of migration, identity and belonging.
Founded by Palestinian immigrants in 1920, Palestino has won 2 Chilean league titles and 3 Copa Chile trophies while competing against giants including Colo-Colo, Universidad de Chile and Universidad Católica. The episode traces the club’s rise through stars such as Elías Figueroa, Óscar Fabbiani and Roberto Coll, its historic 44-match unbeaten run and memorable Copa Libertadores campaigns.
Chris also explores Palestino’s powerful connection to the Palestinian diaspora, from its red, green, black and white shirts and map-inspired crest to the controversial 2014 jersey design that sparked an international dispute.
The story includes Estadio Municipal de La Cisterna, the Clásico de Colonias rivalry with Unión Española and Audax Italiano, modern players Bryan Carrasco, Enzo Roco and Nelson Da Silva, manager Guillermo Farré, and Rania Sansur’s historic connection between Palestino and the Palestine women’s national team.
It’s a remarkable story of Chilean football, Palestinian identity and a club representing a community across two continents.
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