The List Of Best Muslim Football Players In The World

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The List of footballers you did not know were Muslim
Here are the lists and the profile of Muslim football players in European clubs. Some of these names are sure to leave you surprised!
Football is one of the most popular sports in the world and footballers are some of the most high-profile public athletes. However, there is still so much we do not know about our favourite footballers.

Religion is one of the most sensitive and salient features of a person. While some footballers are extremely open about their personal beliefs, there are some famous footballers whose religions of choice are no so well known.

While Christianity is the predominant religion in Western Europe, there are so many top Muslim football players in the European leagues.

Football is one of the most egalitarian and engaging sport in the world, representing players from all nationalities and with different religious background. Many Muslim football players have been contributing to football over a long history. Their spectacular performance dazzle their fans.

Since the players’ personal beliefs have no effect on how they play football, fans should never discriminate players based on their religious beliefs.

However, Muslim footballers usually face anti-Muslim abuse from fans and sometimes even from other players or coaches. However, most of the time common sense prevails, as with many clubs, like Newcastle United, building multi-faith prayer rooms at their training grounds to facilitate Muslim football players.

According to a study conducted in 2015, Islam has 1.8 billion adherents, meaning that about 24.1 percent of the world population believes in this religion. Muslims definitely have tremendous significance in the world’s history and there is a number of world-class Muslim footballers who have entertained the fans all over the world.

Muslim players come from different countries and even different continents around the world. Some are of French descent and some are of Turkish descent, like many German players whose parents or grandparents immigrated to Central Europe after World War II. Some other notable players have converted to Islam, such as Franck Ribery.

Without much ado, let us take a look at footballers who you might not know were Muslim: (First let us take a look at the most famous Muslim footballers)

Some well known Muslim footballers
This posting, we will talking about football players, especially in European Clubs, as we know it's dominated by the Christian players or non muslims, but in fact there are many Muslim Football Players, who was born as a muslim or convert to Islam as a new muslim.

And Alhamdulillah after searching for information on Google, wikipedia, and other sites finally we can gather from various sources.

Here is a list of the best Muslim football players in the European Leagues:

It should be mentioned that the list includes only those Muslim footballers who are playing at the top-level football clubs. Achraf Hakimi Achraf Hakimi Achraf Hakimi Mouh (Berber: ⴰⵛⵔⴰⴼ ⵃⴰⴽⵉⵎⵉ ⵎⵓⵃ, Arabic: أشرف حكيمي موح‎; born 4 November 1998) is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a full-back for Serie A club Inter Milan and the Morocco national team. Mainly a right-back or right wing-back, he can also play on the left or as a winger.

Hakimi is married to Spanish actress Hiba Abouk; she is of Libyan and Tunisian descent. The couple have a son, born in 2020.

Hakimi is a devout Muslim and observes Ramadan – the Muslim practice of fasting for a month through April and May – every year. "I think I made the decision to play for Morocco because it's where my parents come from, how they raised me in a Moroccan, Muslim home, so I thought I'd be more comfortable playing for the Morocco national team," Hakimi said.

Achraf Hakimi have taken to social media to mark the occasion. 🕋 pic.twitter.com/1XbosYa8Yt
— achrafhakimi (@AchrafHakimi) May 6, 2019 Ousmane Dembélé Ousmane Dembélé Masour Ousmane Dembélé is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona and the France national team. Born in Vernon, Dembélé began his career at Rennes before joining Dortmund in 2016. He won the DFB-Pokal with die Borussen in the 2016–17 season, scoring a goal in the final.

Ousmane Dembélé Donates to Build Mosque in Mauritania, Northwest Africa. French national team star and Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembélé, who has just won the FIFA World Cup 2018 with France, has decided to cherish his roots by funding the construction of a new mosque in his country of origin the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

According to ‘Koora’ website, Dembélé plans to build the new mosque in his mother’s village in southern Mauritania. The Muslim player’s mother is a Senegalese Mauritanian, while his father is Malian.

The French national football team defeated Croatia 4-2 in the final match of the world cup last Sunday July 15. According to the FIFA, this win granted the French team a prize of US$38 million.

The 21-year-old Dembélé currently plays for the Spanish club Barcelona. He won the German Cup DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund in 2016-17 in addition to La Liga 2017–18 and Copa del Rey 2017–18 with Barcelona.

Furthermore, he was named the UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year 2015–16, UEFA Champions League Breakthrough XI: 2016, Bundesliga Rookie of the Season 2016–17, and Man of the match in 2017 DFB Pokal Final. That’s in addition to being named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season 2016–17.

Dembélé was first called up to the senior France squad to face Italy and Belarus in August 2016. He made his debut in September against the former at the Stadio San Nicola. His first international goal with France was in a 3–2 friendly victory against England on June 13, 2017.

Mauritania, the birthplace of Dembélé, is a Muslim West African country where Islam represents about 99.9% of its four-million population, according to the CIA World Factbook.

It was trade with Muslim merchants that brought Islam into Mauritania during the 8th century. Islam is by far the largest and most influential religion in the country and has been since the 10th century.

Dembele is a devoted Muslim as he always marks the religious feasts on his social media accounts. The Frenchman has managed 19 goals in 74 matches for Barcelona following his €105m transfer in 2017.

Despite his poor injury history, the winger is particularly valued by the coach, Quique Setien
Born: May 15, 1997 (age 23 years), Vernon, France
Height: 1.78 m
Weight: 67 kg
Nationality: French
Current team: FC Barcelona (#11 / Forward)
Parents: Fatimata Dembélé. Éric Abidal Éric Abidal Eric Sylvain Abidal is a French former professional footballer who played as a left back or centre back.

Eric Abidal is a fighter. The Barcelona legend came back from cancer to play at the very highest level again. A supremely decorated footballer, the former Monaco left-back has won plenty of trophies all over Europe.

Abidal reading the holly koran in air plane. Abidal converted from Christianity to Islam in 2007 after marrying Algerian-born former gymnast Hayet Kebir. Speaking about his conversion, Abidal said:

“All the natural progress. Options converted to Islam not because of my wife, but a gift that had suddenly appeared. It really happened there. Flowing away and made me feel happy. I embraced Islam with full confidence,” he was quoted saying.

Eric Abidal Praying. One of the game’s premier left-backs, Abidal had a long and successful career at Barcelona before finally calling time at Olympiacos after the end of 2014-15 season.

The iconic left-back made 193 appearances for Barcelona between 2007 and 2013.

He is currently working as Barca's sporting director. On his conversion in Islam in 2007, Abidal said: "It was a gift that suddenly appeared. I embraced Islam with full confidence."

In his career, he played mainly for Lyon and Barcelona, winning 18 trophies with both teams combined, including two Champions League trophies with the latter.

Born: September 11, 1979 (age 41 years), St-Genis-Laval, France
Spouse: Hayet Abidal (m. 2007)
Position: Defender
Number: 22 (FC Barcelona / Defender)
Children: Leyna Abidal, Meliana Abidal, Canelia Abidal Emmanuel Adebayor Emmanuel Adebayor One of the greatest African players of the last generation, Emmanuel Adebayor has had a successful career in various top clubs across Europe including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Currently playing for Turkish club Istanbul Basaksehir, Adebayor converted to Islam as recently as July 2015. The former Tottenham striker is seen wearing white robes taking part in the Shahada, a ceremony in which one declares belief in 'the oneness of Allah and acceptance of Muhammad as his prophet' in a video on Youtube.

The Togo striker will be hoping to guide his side to the Champions League group stages after finishing an impressive second place in the Turkish Super League in the 2016/17 season.

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has converted to Islam in a ceremony you can watch below. The 31-year-old took the Shahada , a tradition in which one joining the religion declares their faith and accepts Muhammad as God’s prophet. Adebayor is seen wearing the white robes expected during the ceremony.

The footballer seemed to have been a practising Christian for several years and was photographed at a Togolese Young Men’s Christian Association earlier this month.

It has been a tumultuous few months for Adebayor, who has posted on Facebook on several occasions about the problems he has had with family members. The striker was given compassionate leave from Spurs in May.

His personal troubles have come during a disappointing season at White Hart Lane where he managed just eight league appearances. However the forward has declared himself eager to return and prepare for next season.

The below video shows Adebayor converting to Islam in July 2015:



Togolese international, Emmanuel Adebayor has converted to Islam. He is captured in this video taking the Shahada (the Islamic creed declaring belief in the oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet).

A video footage intercepted by 233livenews seem to indicate that Togolese international, Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor has converted to Islam.

The 31-year-old is seen in the video reciting Shahada (Islamic creed declaring belief in the oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God’s prophet) together with some other supposed new converts.

Clothed in a white Jellabiya, Adebayor in declaration of his new faith said; “Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah” (..and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah). Emmanuel Adebayor is stated in many publications as being very religious.

Everything I do in life I put in the hands of God, my creator,

He gave me the chance to be where I am today and He’s the one that can take it all away from me. So at the team hotel, I pray before sleeping and I pray again in the morning. There is nothing more important for me than God, Adebayor said in a news publication
Born: February 26, 1984 (age 36 years), Lome, Togo
Nationality: Togolese
Height: 1.91 m
Current team: Togo national football team (Forward)
Salary: 5.84 million GBP (2012)
Siblings: Peter Adebayor, Rotimi Adebayor, Lucia Adebayor, Kola Adebayor, Yabo Adebayor, Maggie Adebayor. Nicolas Anelka Nicolas Anelka Nicolas Sébastien Anelka is a French professional football manager and former player who played as a forward.

Another not so well known fact is that Anelka even adopted the Muslim name Abdul-Salam Bilal in 1994. One of the most talented strikers to emerge from France in the last 25 years, Nicolas Anelka converted to Islam from Christianity when he was just 16. Speaking about his conversion, Anelka said:

“I was sixteen when I converted to Islam, beyond the fraternal aspect, my conversion did not change my life. I was already living by the same principles — being righteous, having values. I used to fast during Ramadan because I admired the people fasting around me. What made me convert was that I had that certainty that Islam was for me.

“I felt this relationship with God, and that enlightened my life. I had that conviction in my heart that that was my religion. I am pleased to be a Muslim, a religion of peace and I learned a lot from Islam.” – he was quoted saying.

Anelka was last seen as the manager of Indian Super League side Mumbai City FC.

As a player, he regularly featured in his country's national team, often scoring at crucial moments.


Born: March 14, 1979 (age 41 years), Le Chesnay, Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, France
Spouse: Barbara Tausia (m. 2007)
Number: 21 (Paris Saint-Germain F.C. / Forward),
Teams coached: Mumbai City FC (Player-coach, 2015–2015), Shanghai Greenland Shenhua F.C. (Player-coach, 2012–2012)
Children: Kais Anelka, Lina Anelka, Kahil Anelka Miralem Pjanić Miralem Pjanić Miralem Pjanić is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Spanish club Barcelona and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. Pjanić started his professional career at Metz being there for one season. He signed for side Lyon in 2008 before signing for Roma in 2011 after three seasons at Lyon.

Bought by Juventus as a replacement for Paul Pogba, 26-year-old Miralem Pjanic has quickly settled into his role as the chief playmaker in this very impressive Juventus side. Gifted with amazing technical ability, playmaking skills and tactical versatility, Pjanic is also exceptional at taking free-kicks.

Having moved to Luxembourg before the start of the Bosnian war, Pjanic quickly grew up to be one of the best ball-playing midfielders of this generation. Now representing Bosnia, Pjanic like his compatriot Dzeko is a Muslim from birth.

Known for his calm and composed style on the ball, Pjanic’s incisive passing and vision has been crucial to Juventus’ good performances this season. The Bosnian midfielder will be hoping to continue performing at the highest level
 Born: April 2, 1990 (age 30 years), Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height: 1.78 m
Partner: Josepha Pjanić
Salary: 6.5 million EUR (2018)
Current teams: FC Barcelona (#8 / Midfielder), Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team (Midfielder)
Nationality: Bosnian, Luxembourgish, Yugoslav. Paul Pogba Paul Pogba Paul Labile Pogba is a French professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United and the France national team.

Isn’t 'Paul' a Christian name? You might wonder. It’s somewhat bewildering when you think about it. That’s how it is. A man can choose his path, regardless of name. We’ve seen a notable footballer like Emmanuel Adebayor convert to Islam. Which is quite similar to what Paul Pogba did.

Another well-known Muslim football player in European Leagues is Pogba who was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, to Guinean parents. His mother practiced Islam but did not raise her three sons to be Muslim. However the Manchester United midfielder connected with religion as an adult through friends, and says Islam is often misunderstood.

In 2019, Pogba decided to take his Muslim faith seriously. He went on to post Instagram pictures and videos of his pilgrimage trip to Mecca. “Islam is not the image that everyone sees, terrorism,” Pogba told, Life Times podcast. “What we hear in the media is really something else. It’s something beautiful.”

Paul Pogba wishes Eid Mubarak to social media followers by posting picture in traditional attire At only 27, Pogba is considered by many to be a future Ballon d’Or winner and his potential and talent is what led to United forking out the huge sum for the Frenchman. Born in Siene-et-Marne to Guinean parents, Paul Pogba along with his brothers Florentin and Mathias are Muslim.

After going through some difficult personal times Pogba has committed to his faith, and last month was pictured on a pilgrimage to Mecca. As one of the most valuable players in the world, Pogba is capable of playing as a central midfielder and in a slightly more advanced role.

“It made me change, realize things in life. I guess, maybe, it makes me more peaceful inside. It was a good change in my life because I wasn’t born a Muslim, even if my mum was. I just grew up like that, respect for everyone.

One of the most marketable footballers in the world, Paul Pogba is a devout and practising Muslim from birth.


Still only 24, Pogba is considered by many to be a future Ballon d’Or winner and his potential and talent is what led to United forking out the huge sum for the Frenchman. Born in Siene-et-Marne to Guinean parents, Paul Pogba along with his brothers Florentin and Mathias are Muslim. One of the most valuable players in the world Pogba is capable of playing as a central midfielder and in a slightly more advanced role.

Coming into the tournament after completing Umrah and finishing a decent season with Manchester United, Pogba has played pretty maturely in Russia and has been a vital cog in the French team. He operates primarily as a central midfielder, but can also be deployed as an attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder and deep-lying playmaker.

He carries his Islamic faith on his shoulders and is never afraid of letting the public know by posting pictures and statements around Islamic sentiments. In 2012, Pogba joined Italian side Juventus to win four consecutive Serie A titles, as well as two Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italiana titles. He received the Golden Boy award in 2013 and Bravo Award in 2014.

In 2016, Pogba was named to the 2015 UEFA Team of the Year as well as the 2015 FIFA FIFPro World XI, after helping Juventus to the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final.

The Manchester United star made a world record transfer from Juventus and though he initially struggled to make an impact, he soon started showing his quality and became an integral part of Manchester United's Europa League triumph. Jose Mourinho is determined to get the best out of his world record signing and we might just see the best of the Frenchman in the 2017/18 season.

Born: March 15, 1993 (age 27 years), Lagny-sur-Marne, France
Height: 1.91 m
Nationality: French
Salary: 15.08 million GBP (2016)
Current teams: Manchester United F.C. (#6 / Midfielder), France national football team (Midfielder)
Siblings: Mathias Pogba, Florentin Pogba Edin Džeko Edin Džeko Edin Džeko is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a striker and captains both Serie A club Roma and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

One of the most underrated strikers in world football, Edin Dzeko has practised Islam since he was born. The Bosnian striker has been successful wherever he has played especially for Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, Premier League side Manchester City and his current side AS Roma. A prolific goalscorer, Dzeko had a stunning 2016/17 season where he scored 39 goals in 51 appearances.

Edin Džeko - Muslim Pray. An absolute superstar in his home country of Bosnia, Dzeko is also multilingual and capable of speaking 4 languages – Bosnian, Czech, German and English fluently. He is also involved in plenty of charitable ventures and even became his country’s first UNICEF ambassador.

Still only 31, Dzeko will be determined to add some more chapters to his already storied career. The Bosnian Diamond will be determined to guide Roma to the Serie A title in the 2017/18 season.

Džeko was named Bosnian Footballer of the Year for three years in a row.


Born: March 17, 1986 (age 34 years), Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Height: 1.93 m
Spouse: Amra Silajdžić (m. 2014)
Salary: 8.47 million EUR (2011)
Current teams: A.S. Roma (#9 / Forward), Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team (Forward)
Nationality: Bosnian, Yugoslav Mesut Özil Mesut Özil Mesut Özil a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder, but can also be deployed as a winger for Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe. Nicknamed "The Assist King", Özil is known for his technical skills, creativity, agility, and finesse. He has also played as a wide midfielder in his career.

Özil was born in Gelsenkirchen on 15 October 1988. He played, at youth level, for various clubs in Gelsenkirchen during 1995-2000, before a five-year stint for Rot-Weiss Essen.

Ozil is of Turkish descent – a country where 63.8% of the population is Muslim.
On 2 September 2013, Özil agreed to join English side Arsenal. The fee paid for Özil was believed to be around £42.5 million (€50 million) for a five-year deal.

The transfer made him the most expensive German football player of all time. Özil was assigned the number 11 shirt and the center-attacking midfield role by the team.

It's been an open secret for a long - Mesut Ozil is Muslim.

In the aftermath of the 2018 World Cup, Ozil angrily retired from international football citing racial abuse regarding a picture he took with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Lost his place from Germany's National team for appreciating Erdogan. Özil is a practicing Muslim. He recites from the Quran before his matches. He said, "I always do that before I go out [on the pitch]. I pray and my teammates know that they cannot talk to me during this brief period."

The German footballer recites from the Quran before his match.
"Ramadan Mubarak to all my Muslim brothers and sisters," Ozil posted. #RamadanMubarak to all my Muslim brothers & sisters! 🤲🏼❤ #RamadanKareem pic.twitter.com/LfhQzXVk4g
— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) May 6, 2019 He observes fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan, but he has admitted that: "Because of my job I cannot follow Ramadan properly. I do it only the few days I can, only when I have a free day. But other than that it's impossible, because you have to drink and eat a lot to stay at peak fitness."

In May 2016, he performed Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca.
During a Europa League match in 2018 against Atlético Madrid, an Atlético fan threw a piece of bread at Özil while he was preparing to take a corner. Özil picked up the bread, kissed it, and brought it to his forehead to express gratitude towards the food given to him, which is important in Islam, which was widely applauded throughout the stadium.

THANKFUL Mesut Ozil kisses bread thrown at him by Atletico Madrid fans during Europa League clash He’s often criticized for his nonchalance, but Ozil is truly a superb midfielder with a touch like pure silk.

It’s one quality that endeared him to Cristiano Ronaldo during their three years together at Real Madrid. Renowned for his technical skills and creativity, Özil has also received praise for his agility, finesse, and versatility as an attacking midfielder.

One of the most well-known current active footballers on this list, Mesut Ozil is often seen bestowing his thanks to the Almighty on the football pitch. Özil said, "I always do that before I go out [on the pitch]. I pray and my teammates know that they cannot talk to me during this brief period."

Lost £22 million partnership with Adidas for speaking against China's act of Brutality on the people of Uighar.

Ozil kissing his mother.
Lost his place from Club as he initiated MUSLIM LIVES MATTER AS WELL and criticised club for not backing him on for his stance on Uighar as they are human too.

More than just a footballer ❤

Born: October 15, 1988 (age 32 years), Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Height: 1.8 m
Spouse: Amine Gülşe (m. 2019)
Current team: Arsenal F.C. (#10 / Midfielder)
Salary: 18.2 million GBP (2020)
Children: Eda Özil Granit Xhaka Granit Xhaka Granit Xhaka is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and captains the Switzerland national team. Xhaka began his career at hometown club Basel, winning the Swiss Super League in each of his first two seasons.


Arsenal and Swiss midfield star Granit Xhaka is one of the Muslim team stars at the North London side. Bought from German side Borussia Monchengladbach for a fee of around £35 million, the Swiss star has had a decent first season.

He has an estimated net worth of $65 Million. Xhaka was born in the city of Basel, Switzerland into an Albanian family from Kuršumlija, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, now Serbia.

His father Ragip was a political prisoner. At the age of 22, as a student at University of Pristina, he was arrested for participating in a 1986 student demonstration against the central government in Belgrade, and served three and a half years of a six-year prison sentence before being released in 1990. Their family moved from Podujevo, District of Pristina to Switzerland that year.



His older brother, Taulant Xhaka, is a professional footballer and plays for FC Basel and the Albania national team.

Arsenal and Swiss midfield star Granit Xhaka is one of the three Muslim first team stars (along with Ozil and Mustafi) at the North London side. Bought from German side Borussia Monchengladbach for a fee of around £35 million, the Swiss star has had a decent first season.

Capable of breaking up play and setting up attacks with equal ease, Xhaka after a tough settling period showed his true game towards the end of the season where he played a crucial role in Arsenal’s stunning FA Cup triumph over Chelsea.

Not afraid of crunching into tackles, Xhaka’s physical presence in the centre of the field coupled with his ball playing skills gives Arsene Wenger’s side a new dimension and it will be interesting to see how the Swiis midfielder fares in his second season at the Premier League club.

Born: September 27, 1992 (age 28 years), Basel, Switzerland
Height: 1.85 m
Spouse: Leonita Lekaj (m. 2017)
Current teams: Arsenal F.C. (#34 / Midfielder), Switzerland national football team (Midfielder)
Siblings: Taulant Xhaka, Agnesa Xhaka
Nationality: Kosovar, Swiss Sadio Mané Sadio Mané Sadio Mané is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Liverpool and the Senegal national team.

The Liverpool forward has often been pictured celebrating a goal by bowing his face to the ground – signifying Muslims prayer posture. Mane is one player who gives his all every time he’s out on the pitch. No surprise he plundered 18 goals and provided 12 assists before COVID-19 rudely interrupted.

Awards: CAF Africa’s finest XI, Premier League Golden Boot, African Player of the Year One of the best signings of the 2016/17 season, Sadio Mane is a devout Muslim and a teetotaler. The Senegal man was one of the best players in the Premier League last season and Mane credited religion with playing a huge role in his success.

He is a practicing Muslim and occasionally is seen making du'a before the start of each match. In an earlier interview with Dail Mail, Mane spoke about the importance of Islam in his life:



“Religion is very important to me. I respect the rules of Islam and I pray five times a day, always. I won't touch alcohol. There was no conflict between religion and the fact that I wanted to play football. I was brought up correctly and in the right way and my parents are proud of the fact that I am a footballer.”


In fact, Mane’s father was even the Imam of a local mosque at his home country in Senegal. A true superstar in Africa, Mane is determined to give back to the region he came from and make it a better place.

Known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed, Mané is considered one of the best players in the world.

Born: April 10, 1992 (age 28 years), Sedhiou, Senegal
Height: 1.75 m
Nationality: Senegalese
Current teams: Liverpool F.C. (#10 / Forward), Senegal national football team (#10 / Forward)
Dates joined: 2016 (Liverpool F.C.), 2014 (Southampton F.C.) Mohamed Salah Mohamed Salah Mohamed Salah Hamed Mahrous Ghaly, born 15 June 1992, is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Liverpool and the Egypt national team. Considered one of the best players in the world, he is known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed.

Salah and his wife, Maggi, married in 2013. Their daughter, Makka, born in 2014, is named in honour of the Islamic holy city of Mecca. He had another daughter, Kayan, born in 2020.
Born in Egypt, Salah began his professional career with the Egyptian club El Mokawloon followed by joining FC Basel in Switzerland. After short spells at Chelsea, Fiorentina, and Roma he finally joined Liverpool for a then club-record fee of £36.9 million.

The forward went on to break the Premier League scoring record by netting 32 goals in the 2017/2018 season securing the Premier League Golden Boot and PFA Players' Player of the Year after netting 32 goals in 36 league games.

His magical performance also handed him a third spot for the 2018 Best FIFA Men's Player award.

In the 2018/2019 season, Salah was the top join goalscorer and led Liverpool to win the UEFA Champions League.

Salah was key in helping Liverpool end its 30-year league title drought by winning the 2019–20 Premier League.

Famously known as the "The Pharoah" or "The Egyptian Messi" by fans worldwide, Mohamed Salah is easily one of the best football players around the world. Salah’s trademark goal celebration often involves performing Sujood.

Fun fact: During the 2008 presidential elections in Egypt, more than one million people added Salah’s name on their ballot paper casting him their vote. Salah would have been the second-best choice for the presidency had the votes been counted as legal.

Considered one of the best players in the world, he is known for his finishing, dribbling, and speed. Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is another Muslim footballer who needs no introduction. Born and raised in the Islamic country of Egypt, it’s not hard to see why he's Muslim.

Mohamed Salah after his terrific game today back at the Quran. An inspiration for us to excel in Dunya wal Akhirah. Since returning for a second spell in the Premier League in 2017, Salah has risen to become one of the best forwards in the game. No goalkeeper can be comfortable with Salah shooting off that wicked left foot of his.


Many believe that Salah’s presence at Liverpool Football Club has been a direct cause of a fall in Islamophobia in the city. There is no doubt that he was the best Muslim footballer of 2019

Salah has been a revelation for the club, winning the Premier League golden boot in both of his campaigns and playing a leading role in their recent Champions League triumph, scoring the opening goal in the final from the penalty spot.

Therefore, it can be concluded that Salah’s characteristics as a friendly figure in the team had helped ‘humanize’ the Muslim community in general and the football community in particular.

Salah’s goal celebration involves performing Sujood, the Islamic act of prostration to God. Liverpool fans created a chant to the tune of Dodgy's "Good Enough", saying that if Salah continued to score goals, they would convert to Islam – "If he's good enough for you, he's good enough for me, if he scores another few, then I'll be Muslim too." Salah gave his approval to the chant, and it has been cited as an example of inclusivity. According to a 2021 study in the American Political Science Review, Salah's transfer to Liverpool led to a 16% reduction in hate crimes in the city, as well as massively reduced anti-Muslim online rhetoric by Liverpool fans. Salah is devout to a degree that many other well-known Muslims sports figures are not, and his charm and apolitical persona have made him a popular figure in the UK.

During his goal celebration, Salah lays in the prostrate position to thank God in sujud. On this goal celebration, Salah told CNN, "It's something like praying or thanking God for what I have received, but yeah, it's just praying and praying for a win. I've always done that since I was young, everywhere."

According to researchers at Stanford University, Liverpool FC and Egyptian star Mohammed Salah played an influential role in reducing Islamophobia in the region.

Since his arrival, Merseyside county witnessed a 18.9% drop in anti-Islam crimes and significantly decreased anti-Muslim tweets (7.8% to 3.8%) in comparison to fans of other top-tier English clubs thanks to increase in familiarity with Islam.



In February 2019, both West Ham United and the police investigated Islamophobic abuse towards Mohamed Salah emanating from the home supporters at the London Stadium during a game between West Ham and Liverpool. West Ham said they were investigating a video which allegedly showed fans racially abusing Salah, including for being Muslim. The investigation resulted in the fan being banned for three years.



Video footage was obtained where someone can be heard shouting “Salah, you fucking Muslim, fucking Muslim cunt” at Salah. In October 2020, a West Ham United supporter was convicted of committing a racially-aggravated public order offence. He was fined £400 and banned from football games for three years.

Born: June 15, 1992 (age 28 years), Nagrig, Egypt
Height: 1.75 m
Spouse: Magi Sadek (m. 2013)
Current teams: Liverpool F.C. (#11 / Forward), Egypt national football team (#10 / Forward)Awards: PFA Players' Player of the Year,
Children: Kayan Mohamed Salah, Makka Mohamed Salah Franck Ribéry Franck Ribéry Franck Henry Pierre Ribéry is a French professional footballer who plays for Serie A club Fiorentina. He primarily plays as a winger, preferably on the left side, and is known for his pace, energy, skill, and precise passing

When he was two years old, he and his family were involved in a car accident in his hometown, colliding with a lorry.

Ribéry suffered serious facial injuries that resulted in more than one hundred stitches and which left two long scars down the right side of his face, and another across his brows.

Before starting his football career, Ribéry worked as a construction worker with his father. He always refers to those years as a "learning experience."

The Frenchman is a staunch follower of Islam and was even reportedly extremely angry with Boateng for dousing him in beer after winning the Bundesliga in 2013. As one of the greatest wingers of all time, Ribery converted to Islam in 2002 after being inspired by his wife Wahiba who is of Algerian descent. So, he is among those footballers who have converted to Islam. He also added the name Bilal after his conversion.

Ribery in Makkah. Speaking about his conversion from Christianity to Islam, Ribery said:

"Religion is my personal thing. I am a believer and since I converted to Islam, I think, I became stronger, I became mentally and physically stronger. Religion did not change my personality or my perception of the world. I pray five times a day, I do it because it enables me to be released and I feel better afterwards"


Born: April 7, 1983 (age 37 years), Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
Height: 1.7 m
Spouse: Wahiba Ribéry (m. 2004)
Current team: ACF Fiorentina (#7 / Midfielder)
Salary: 8.32 million EUR (2016)
Children: Seïf el Islam Ribéry, Hizya Ribéry, Shakinez Ribéry, Mohammed Ribéry, Keltoum Chérifa Marie-Pierre Ribéry Riyad Mahrez Riyad Mahrez Riyad Karim Mahrez is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Manchester City and captains the Algerian national team. Mahrez began his career as a youth player for French club AAS Sarcelles.

Riyad Mahrez, born 21 February 1991, is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Manchester City and captains the Algerian national team.

As one of the best Muslim football players in European Leagues , Mahrez is known for his specialty in taking superb set-pieces. He has won the EPL title a couple of times and also helped Algeria winning the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mahrez was born in Sarcelles, France, to an Algerian father and a mother of Algerian and Moroccan descent. His father Ahmed was from Beni Snous, Tlemcen District.

When Mahrez was fifteen, his father died of a heart attack. He reflected that, "I don't know if I started to be more serious but after the death of my dad things started to go for me. Maybe in my head, I wanted it more." Growing up, Mahrez would regularly spend his holidays in Algeria. Mahrez's father had played football in Algeria.

Mahrez is a practicing Muslim and in June 2017, he made the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca. He married his English girlfriend Rita Johal in 2015. Their daughter, Inaya Mahrez, was born later that year. Mahrez and his wife were reported to have a second daughter, thought to be born in late 2016, but whose name is not known.

Man City ace started dating reality star Dawn Ward’s daughter Taylor after he officially called time on his marriage.

Riyad Mahrez comes from a country where 98% of the population is Muslim. The Algerian midfielder is one firm believer in the Islamic faith.

Mahrez has witnessed a meteoric rise in his career since moving to England in January 2014. His phenomenal performances which helped Leicester win the Premier League in 2016 are well-documented.

If you’ve ever watched Mahrez, you’d agree he’s a classy player with guile and flair.

Born: February 21, 1991 (age 29 years), Sarcelles, France
Height: 1.79 m
Weight: 67 kg
Current teams: Manchester City F.C. (#26 / Forward), Algeria national football team (#7 / Forward)
Nationality: Algerian, French, Moroccan
Children: Inaya Mahrez Karim Benzema Karim Benzema Karim Mostafa Benzema is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish club Real Madrid and the France national team.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is another Real Madrid star who practices Islam. One of the biggest stars in Zidane’s team, Benzema is a devout Muslim who follows fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. As one of the most popular Muslim players in Europe, Karim Mostafa Benzema was born on the 19 December 1987 in Lyon. He is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for Spanish club Real Madrid and the France national team.


He has been described as a talented striker who is both strong and a potent finisher on the pitch.

Benzema secured 3 Champions League won in 2017, 2016, and 2014 in the final match with Real Madrid.

Benzema began his football career with local club Bron Terraillon. In 1996, he joined Olympique Lyonnais, and subsequently came through the club's youth academy.

In 2009, it was announced that Lyon had reached an agreement with Spanish club Real Madrid for the transfer of Benzema.

The transfer fee was announced to be €35 million with the fee rising to as much as €41 million based on incentives. Benzema successfully passed his medical test and signed his contract, which was a six-year deal.


As a practicing Muslim, Benzema observes fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. His grandfather, Da Lakehal Benzema, lived in the village of Tigzirt, located in the northern town of Beni Djellil in Algeria before migrating to Lyon, where he eventually settled in the 1950s.

Benzema's father, Hafid, was born in Tigzirt, while his mother, Wahida Djebbara, was born and raised in Lyon. Benzema is the third youngest in the family and grew up with eight other siblings in Bron, an eastern suburb of Lyon.

His younger brothers Gressy and Sabri are also footballers. In 2014, his daughter Mélia was born and his son Ibrahim was born in 2017.


Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is another Real Madrid star who practices Islam. One of the biggest stars in Zidane’s team, Benzema is a devout Muslim who follows fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.  Benzema praying. He has been described as an "immensely talented striker" who is "strong and powerful" and "a potent finisher from inside the box".

Born: December 19, 1987 (age 32 years), Lyon, France
Height: 1.85 m
Spouse: Cora Gauthier
Current team: Real Madrid C.F. (#9 / Forward)
Salary: 7.92 million GBP (2016)
Siblings: Gressy Benzema, Nafissa Benzema, Sabri Benzema İlkay Gündoğan Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is another devout Muslim in the Premier League. The midfielder every time wishes his fans on Eid via his social media channels. Emre Can Emre Can, born 12 January 1994, is a German professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Borussia Dortmund on loan from Italian club Juventus, until June 2020, and the Germany national team.

As a versatile player, Can has also played as a defensive midfielder, center back, and full back.

Can's name is also among the Muslim footballers' list He has opened up about sickening racist abuse he and his family have suffered.

Can was born in Frankfurt but his parents are Turkish and he explained how they had been left hurt by a recent experience when he flew with them to Germany from the UK. His mother was wearing a hijab, a veil worn by Muslim women.

“Two months ago I had a day off and I wanted to fly to Germany. I had to book at the last minute,” Can said.

“My mum was wearing a hijab. She was here with my dad. We couldn’t sit together on the plane.

“There were two seats next to each other. My mum and dad wanted to sit together but they had other seats.

“My best mate was there too and he asked the man ‘can they sit there please?’ He said ‘no, show me your ticket’.

“My friend said ‘please, they just want to sit together’ and the man said ‘no’ again. The reason he said no was because my mum was wearing a hijab. It was a bad thing. It was racist.

“It was actually a former player but he didn’t see me as I was at the back of the plane.” Adnan Januzaj Adnan Januzaj is a Belgian born youngster with an Kosovan Albanian origin. He is the first Muslim footballer in Man United first team since Mame Biram Diouf departure to Hannover in January 2012.

The 18-year-old was scouted by Man United from Anderlechts academy in 2011. United beat Barcelona in the race to sign this youngster for just £297,000.

“Adnan is a beautifully balanced player. He’s only 18 and still to grow into his frame. But he has good balance, good acceleration and he’s a very good technical player.” – Sir Alex Ferguson

The precocious Belgian’s dribbling style is characteristic of a skilfully hockey player keeping the ball very close to his body whilst moving at speed.

The name Adnan is of Arabic origin meaning ‘settler’ or ‘to stay’. Thankfully it’s far easier to pronounce too. Valon Behrami The 29-year-old midfielder, born in Kosovo, started to discover his passion and love for football at the age of 13.

The 184-com footballer, Behrami, played his first international match in the Swiss squad against France in October 2005.

Appearing at Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, UEFA EURO 2008 and World CUP Brazil 2014, France Euro 2016 is now the midfielder’s fifth major international tournament. Arda Turan The Turkey international has scored 15 goals in 55 matches during his turbulent career at Barcelona. The winger is still owned by the Catalan club but he isn't eligible to play this season. Turan is a devoted Muslim as he often kneels to the ground to thank Allah after scoring. Seydou Keita The defensive midfielder has never been a Barcelona regular but still managed 22 goals in 188 matches between 2008 and 2012. The Malian retired in 2017 after spells in China and in Qatar. According to the local sources, Keita helped to build a mosque in Malian capital Bamako back in 2018. Djibril Sidibe A 24-year old defender, and originally Senegalese. He plays for AS Monaco club and the French national team. He won ‘Ligue 1’ in 2016-17 with Monaco and was named the UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year in the same season. Nabil Fekir He is originally from Algeria, and features as attacking midfielder and forward for the French club Lyon and the French national team.

He was named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in 2014-15.

Fekir was also named the UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year in both 2014–15 and 2017–18 as well as the UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month in October 2017.

As with any field, we pray the best for our Muslim brothers to be able to give their best. Yaya Touré Gnégnéri Yaya Touré is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and last played for Chinese Super League club Qingdao Huanghai.


The physical midfielder scored six goals in 118 matches for Barcelona between 2007 and 2010.

The Ivorian announced his retirement in late 2018 but managed some more months at the Chinese side QD Huanghai in 2019.

Toure mentioned several times he was forced to refuse champagne for Man of the Match performances for Manchester City because of his religion

Touré aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre-back, including for Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final.


The attitude towards Muslim players are showing movement of change. The Premier league halted its tradition of giving champagne as a man-of-the-match award and altered it to a trophy when Muslim Manchester City star Yaya Touré began winning it on a regular basis.

Born: May 13, 1983 (age 37 years), Bouake, Côte d’Ivoire
Height: 1.88 m
Spouse: Gineba Touré (m. 2004)
Salary: 15 million USD (2012)
Number: 42 (Manchester City F.C. / Midfielder), 42 (Olympiacos F.C. / Midfielder), 15 (AS Monaco FC / Midfielder)
Siblings: Kolo Touré, Ibrahim Touré, Aicha Toure Kolo Touré Kolo Abib Touré is an Ivorian football coach and former footballer. He played as a defender for Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Celtic and the Ivory Coast national team. He is currently a first team coach at Leicester City as well as a member of the coaching staff for the Ivory Coast national team.   

Born: March 19, 1981 (age 39 years), Bouake, Côte d’Ivoire
Spouse: Awo Touré (m. 2012)
Current team: Leicester City F.C. (first team coach)
Number: 5 (Arsenal F.C. / Defender), 4 (Liverpool F.C. / Defender), 28 (Manchester City F.C. / Defender), 2 (Celtic F.C. / Defender)
Siblings: Yaya Touré, Ibrahim Touré, Aicha Toure
Children: Yiassin Touré, Sania Touré, Yaya Touré Salomon Kalou Salomon Kalou Salomon Armand Magloire Kalou is an Ivorian footballer who plays as a striker and winger for Brazilian club Botafogo and the Ivory Coast national football team.  He previously played for Feyenoord from 2003 to 2006 and Chelsea from 2006 to 2012.    Born: August 5, 1985 (age 35 years), Oume, Côte d’Ivoire
Height: 1.84 m
Nationality: Ivorian
Current team: Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas (Midfielder)
Salary: 3.12 million EUR (2012)
Siblings: Bonaventure Kalou Islam Feruz Islam Feruz Islam Salieh Feruz is a professional footballer who plays as a centre forward. He is currently without a club.

Feruz spent most of his youth career with Celtic, before moving to Chelsea in September 2011 after rejecting a professional contract with the Scottish club.


Born: September 10, 1995 (age 25 years), Kismayo, Somalia
Height: 1.63 m
Nationality: Scottish
Number: 20 (Hibernian F.C. / Forward),
Dates joined: 2017 (Swindon Town F.C.),Position: Forward, Midfielder
Armand Traoré
Armand Traoré Armand Mouhamed Traor

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