Top 21 best Muslim football players in the world (with photos)
Football is one of the most captivating sports in the world and includes players from all nationalities, races, and religions. Many Muslim football players have been contributing to the sporting industry for a long time. Their spectacular performances continue to dazzle their fans in leagues across the world.
Source: UGC
Numerous Muslim players have risen to the pinnacle of football over the years. Who are the top footballers who practice Islam?
The top Muslim football players in the world
Which famous footballers are Muslim? Here is a look at the top Muslim footballers of all time.
1. Zinedine Zidane
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- Date of birth: 23 June 1972
- Age: 50 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: La Castellane, Marseille, France
Zinedine Zidane is inarguably one of the greatest footballers ever known in the football world. In any list of the top 100 Muslim footballers, Zidane will almost always take the top spot. Since winning the Champions League twice with Real Madrid, Zidane has been successfully working in football management.
Zidane is known to be a Muslim though he doesn't show his religious beliefs publicly or speak much about them. In 2016, he was ranked one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.
2. Mesut Ozil
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- Date of birth: 15 October 1988
- Age: 33 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Gelsenkirchen, West Germany
Özil was one of the most popular Muslim players in the English Premier League. He recently joined Fenerbahce, a largely Muslim football team based in Turkey. Mesut Ozil is often seen praying to Allah on the football pitch, and has been know to recite verses from the Quran before matches.
3. Karim Benzema
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- Date of birth: 19 December 1987
- Age: 34 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Lyon, France
Karim Benzema is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Spanish club Real Madrid and the France national team. Karim Benzema is another football star who practises Islam.
Benzema is a devoted Muslim who prays before every match and follows all the fasting rules during Ramadan.
4. Paul Pogba
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- Date of birth: 15 March 1993
- Age: 29 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Lagny-sur-Marne, France
Are there any Italian Muslim football players? Yes, the likes of Paul Pogba. While he is not an Italian national, he plays in the country's topflight league, Serie A. Pogba is considered one of the most prolific football players in the world. Also, he is known to be a devoted Muslim from birth. He is one of the most skilled Muslim Premier League players today.
As of now, he is only 29, but his potential and talent make many people think that he is a future Ballon d'Or recipient. Paul Pogba played as a central midfielder for Manchester United and Juventus.
5. N'Golo Kante
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- Date of birth: 29 March 1991
- Age: 31 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Paris, France
N'Golo Kante is among the most talented players from France. N’Golo Kante plays for the EPL team Chelsea and France national team. Known for his humble, down-to-earth figure off the pitch, he is widely considered one of the best central midfielders in the world, with an amazing work rate and defensive acumen. He is also a Muslim born to Milan parents who migrated from Mali to France in 1980.
6. Mohammed Salah Ghaly
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- Date of birth: 15 June 1992
- Age: 30 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Nagrig, Basyoun, Egypt
Mohammed Salah Ghaly is an Egyptian professional football player who plays as a forward for the English club Liverpool and the Egyptian national team. Mo Salah's advantage is his pace. When playing for Liverpool, he forms a great team with Mane on the flanks.
Mo was awarded the 2017/2018 English Premier League Player of the Year and the Golden Boot (awarded to the highest goal scorer in a season). Mo Salah always celebrates his goals by performing the Sujud, which is the Islamic act of prostration.
7. Marouane Fellaini
- Date of birth: 22 November 1987
- Age: 34 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Etterbeek, Brussels, Belgium
Marouane Fellaini-Bakkioui is a Belgian professional football player who plays midfielder for Manchester United and the Belgian national team. Marouane Fellaini has played mostly for Manchester United, proving to be one of the most effective professionals.
He is famous not only for his performance, which makes him a remarkable midfielder but also for his extraordinary hairdo.
8. Emmanuel Adebayor
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 26 February 1984
- Age: 38 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Lomé, Togo
One of the greatest African players was born on 26 February 1984 in Togo. Emmanuel Adebayor built a great football career in a few top European clubs, including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur. Since he left these clubs, he has been playing as a striker for the Turkish club İstanbul Başakşehir.
Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor is a professional striker for the Togolese Championnat National club Semassi. He converted from Christianity to Islam in 2015, and a video of him taking Shahada or declaration of faith, went viral.
9. Nicolas Anelka
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- Date of birth: 14 March 1979
- Age: 43 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Le Chesnay, France
Nicolas Anelka, currently retired, was a French football manager and forward who played for the France national team. Anelka is known for his stunning technique, speed, and ability to score and assist goals, to be the main and second striker.
Nicolas Anelka converted to Islam from Christianity when he was 16. Following the move, he adopted the Muslim name, Abdul-Salam Bilal.
10. Eric Abidal
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- Date of birth: 11 September 1979
- Age: 42 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Saint-Genis-Laval, France
Eric Sylvain Abidal is a former French professional footballer who played mainly for Lyon and Barcelona. He had a successful career, winning 18 trophies for both teams. The defender was born a Catholic but moved to Islam in his 20s and changed his name to Bilal Eric Abidal.
In 2007, Abidal converted from Christianity to Islam. The possible reason for his conversion was his marriage to a former gymnast of Algerian origin, Hayet Kebir.
11. Antonio Rudiger
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- Date of birth: 3 March 1993
- Age: 29 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Berlin, Germany
Antonio Rudiger plays as a centre-back for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Germany national team. He began his career at VfB Stuttgart, representing their reserves in 3.
He joined his first team, Roma, in 2015 on loan and a year later for a €9 million fee. Chelsea signed Antonio Rudiger in 2017 for an estimated £27 million, where he won FA CUP in his first league and second season UEFA Champions League in 2021.
12. Ilkay Gündoğan
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 24 October 1990
- Age: 31 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Ilkay Gündoğan plays as a midfielder for Manchester and Germany national teams. In 2008, he began playing for the club's reserve side before joining 1.FC Nürnberg the following season.
In 2011, Ilkay Gündoğan was acquired by Borussia Dortmund, winning double Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in his first season. After playing 157 matches and scoring 15 goals for the club, Ilkay signed for Machester City for an estimated transfer fee of £21 million in the summer of 2016.
13. Riyad Mahrez
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 21 February 1991
- Age: 31 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Sarcelles, France
Mahrez is a multi-talented player with great left foot power. He signed on with AAS Sarcelles as a young footballer to start his professional career. He relocated as a professional from Quimper to Le Havre in 2009. He was late traded to Leicester City in the Premier League of England in January 2014.
During the same season, Riyad Mahrez won the Algerian Footballer of the Year award, the PFA Players' Player of the Year title, and a spot on the PFA Team of the Year. He received the Confederation of African Football's 2016 Best African Footballer award (CAF). He is currently one of the best players in the world, thanks to his talent.
14. Sadio Mané
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 10 April 1992
- Age: 30 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Bambali, Sédhiou, Senegal
Sadio Mané plays as a forward for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Senegal national team. Sadio began his professional career at the age of 19 with Ligue 2 club Metz. Still, he departed after a solitary season to join the Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg in 2012 for €4 million.
In 2015, he set a new Premier League record for the fastest hat-trick, scoring in 176 seconds in a 6–1 win over Aston Villa. On 22 June 2022, Sadio Mané joined Bundesliga club Bayern Munich on contract until 30 June, 2025. He is one of the best-known young Muslim football players.
15. Ousmane Dembélé
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- Date of birth: 15 May 1997
- Age: 25 years (as of 2022)
- Place of birth: Vernon, France
Ousmane Dembélé is a winger for the France national team and La Liga team Barcelona. As a child, Ousmane developed a football obsession and decided to follow his goal without going to school. Today, he is among the best-known Muslim football players in La Liga.
In 2004, he began playing football with the Madeleine Évreux club. Prior to signing with Rennes, he played for ALM Evreux and Evreux FC 2. On 9 November that year, he scored his first career goal against the Laval reserves. With 18 games remaining in his rookie season, he scored 13 goals.
16. Kurt Zouma
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 27 October 1994
- Age: 28 years as of 2022
- Place of birth: Lyon, France
Zouma a French centre-back who plays for the Premier League team West Ham and the France National team. He is widely regarded as one of the best French defenders of his time. His defensive skills are unmatched by most top-league defenders.
17. Hatem Ben Arfa
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- Date of birth: 7 March 1987
- Age: 35 years as of 2022
- Place of birth: Clamart, France
Hatem Ben Arfa is a French professional football player who plays as a right winger and attacking midfielder for Lille OSC and the French national team. He is widely known for his flair and dribbling ability.
18. Granit Xhaka
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 27 September 1992
- Age: 30 years as of 2022
- Place of birth: Basel, Switzerland
Granit is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Swiss national team and the Premier League team, Arsenal. He currently captains the Swiss national team.
19. Edin Dzeko
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 17 March 1986
- Age: 36 years as of 2022
- Place of birth: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dzeko is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward for Serie A club Inter Milan and captains the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team. He has been a devout Muslim ever since he was born into a Muslim-faith family of Turkish descent.
20. Xherdan Shaqiri
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 10 October 1991
- Age: 31 years as of 2022
- Place of birth: Gjilan, Kosovo
Xherdan Shaqiri is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire and the Switzerland national team. While a devout Muslim, Shaqiri is often seen celebrating Christmas, a practice he says is informed by a habit he formed when growing up.
21. Mohamed Elneny
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 11 July 1992
- Age: 30 years as of 2022
- Place of birth: El-Mahalla El-Kubra, Egypt
Mohamed Naser Elsayed Elneny is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the Egypt national team. Elneny began his senior career in the Egyptian Premier League before moving to Swiss club Basel in January 2013
Are these Muslim players in the German national team?
Yes, there are. The best-known is Antonio Rudiger, who plays for Real Madrid and the German national team.
Who are the 10 best Muslim footballers?
They include Zinedine Zidane, Mesut Ozil, Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Paul Pogba, Mohamed Salah, Marouane Fellaini, Emmanuel Adebayor, Nicolas Anelka, and Eric Abidal.
Are there any Muslim football players?
Yes, there are numerous football players who practice Islam.
How many Premier League players are Muslim?
According to BBC, there are around 70 Muslim players at Premier League clubs.
Is Raheem Sterling Muslim?
Sterling is a devout Christian, despite the fact that Raheem is a well-liked Muslim name.
Who is Muslim in Juventus?
Miralem Pjanić is a Muslim who joined Juventus and has since been regarded as an integral player for the team. Others include Paul Pogba and Sami Khedira.
Which English football players are Muslim?
The Premier League has numerous Muslim footballers. These include Mohamed Salah, N'Golo Kanté, Kurt Zouma, and Riyad Mahrez.
Who are PSG's Muslim players?
They include Idrissa Gana Gueye, Presnel Kimpembe and Abdou Diallo.
There are numerous Muslim football players in today's sporting industry. These skilled individuals are a part of national teams and clubs in countries across the world.
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Source: Legit.ng
Lucy Zawadi Lucy Zawadi is a charismatic reporter with two years experience in creating content. She enjoys keeping up with pop culture, singing, cooking, baking, and jewellery making. Just like Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, Lucy believes that ‘No human is limited’. Email: lucyluciana832@gmail.com
Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Legit.ng, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
