World Cup – From England to Spain and beyond, players openly practicing Christianity and Islam are offering public displays of faith—sometimes on the biggest stage in sports—as questions of immigration and polarization simmer back home.
On a Sunday against Tunisia. Yasin Ayari scored twice and then dropped to his knees on the field. prostrating himself in thanks to God. The moment landed amid a World Cup that is often framed as entertainment—but for many viewers. it reads like something more human: a visible insistence that faith and identity can coexist inside a team.
For some European nations, that insistence hits harder. Several have faced political polarization connected to the arrival of large numbers of Muslim immigrants. Against that backdrop. the rosters themselves are becoming a kind of public counterpoint—players from different religious backgrounds cooperating closely in pursuit of the same goal.
Eboo Patel. president of Interfaith America. called the images “symbolic yet also substantive.” Patel said the message players send is simple: “My identity really matters to me and it makes me a better soccer player.” He pointed to the visual choreography of belief on the pitch—Christian players crossing themselves and Muslim players cupping their hands in prayer before and after scoring. “You’re cooperating to build a community and a team,” Patel said. “It’s not a contrived television ad or a condescending afterschool special. It’s the way you build an excellent soccer team.”.
It’s a storyline that has emerged across multiple squads. particularly in Western Europe. which for most of soccer’s history was overwhelmingly white and Christian. As those societies have diversified. national team rosters have shifted too—now featuring Christian and Muslim players who openly talk about their faith.
England’s team includes a Muslim player for the first time. France’s roster has multiple players from Protestant, Catholic and Muslim backgrounds. Spain’s 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, a practicing Muslim, has also drawn attention well beyond the stadium.
Patel’s point is that the unity isn’t being staged for social media attention. It’s showing up in the routine habits of players who remain open about who they are. Their actions—scoring, then praying, then hugging—are becoming the moments people remember.
Mohamed Salah of Egypt offers one of the clearest examples. A Sunni Muslim who practices his faith openly on and off the field. Salah often prostrates himself after scoring to give thanks to God. The visibility has even been tied to an outcome off the pitch: after he joined Liverpool in the Premier League. researchers reported that anti-Muslim tweets by fans dropped by half.
Luka Modrić, 40, arrives at this World Cup playing in his fifth tournament and is set to surpass 200 international appearances. Modrić is Catholic and has worn shin guards depicting Jesus and the Virgin Mary. A few days before he and his teammates traveled to the United States. they gathered to celebrate Mass at a chapel in the Croatian town of Icici.
In England. Djed Spence is described as the first Muslim to play for the senior England team. even though the Football Association has not kept records of players’ religions. Spence, a fullback with Tottenham, played six times for England’s under-21 squad. Speaking to the BBC. he said. “It’s good to make history and hopefully inspire young kids around the world that they can make it as well. ” adding. “They can do what I am doing.”.
Yamal’s faith has also collided with politics. Yamal. whose father is Moroccan. drew headlines worldwide when he waved the Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s celebrations after it won the Spanish league in May. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick questioned the decision at the time. Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, later criticized Yamal by saying he was inciting “hate.”.
Marc Guéhi’s story is different, but it carries its own friction. The 25-year-old. son of a Christian minister in London. is playing his first season with Manchester City and was selected to be one of England’s defenders for the World Cup. While captain at Crystal Palace. Guéhi defied Football Association rules by writing religious messages on his uniform during a Premier League campaign celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion. He avoided punishment, even though the FA prohibits players from displaying religious messages.
In Iraq’s squad, the presence of multiple religious communities is also part of what draws attention. This year’s World Cup team includes Kurds, Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, and several Christians. The fact is especially stark given that Iraq’s Christian population is estimated to have fallen from 1.5 million in 2003 to about 150. 000 now. Midfielder Aimar Sher. one of those Christians. has shared his faith online. posting photos of him wearing an “I Belong to Jesus” T-shirt.
Across the Atlantic. Christian Pulisic has spoken openly about his faith and often wears a cross necklace given by his mother. He has led team Bible studies, and his Instagram posts include photos of the Bible, showing passages he has underlined. Several of his teammates also are open about their Christian faith, including Weston McKennie and goalkeeper Matt Freese. McKennie’s Instagram bio contains just four words: “All glory to God.”.
The common thread tying these stories together is not that everyone is the same. It’s that. in a setting built on coordination. players are making their differences part of the public reality rather than hiding them. Christian prayers and Muslim prayers happen in the open. Identities show up on jerseys, on necklaces, in Mass gatherings and in prostrations after a goal.
In a tournament where headlines often chase conflict. these displays are forcing a more intimate question: can a team actually work as a team when belief—and the controversies around belief—are all around it?. For Patel, the answer starts with what fans can see. “It’s symbolic yet also substantive. ” he said. pointing to the moments when teammates—after the celebration—continue to play together.
The associated funding and distribution note from the original reporting also remains: AP religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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World Cup faith religion Interfaith America Eboo Patel England France Spain Lamine Yamal Yasin Ayari Mohamed Salah Luka Modrić Djed Spence Marc Guéhi Aimar Sher Christian Pulisic