As the final whistle rang out, waves of emotion began to crash over Michel Termanini. The weight of what had been accomplished became clear but so too what this moment would mean for so many.
Termanini and his teammates had just seen out a 0-0 draw against Lebanon to secure Palestine’s progression to the next phase of Asian qualification for the 2026 World Cup. It is the furthest the team has advanced in their attempts to secure a place at the showpiece event since joining Fifa in 1998.
