Islam, also known as the Islamic faith, is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion that teaches there is only one God and that Muhammad is believed to be His messenger. It is the second-largest religion in the world, with over 2 billion followers, accounting for approximately 25% of the global population. Its adherents are commonly known as Muslims. Globally, many famous football players are Muslim. They are even key players in the teams they represent. If you're curious about who they are, let's explore the Top 10 Muslim soccer players in the world list below with admin Wintips.
Who are the best Muslim soccer players in the world?
1. Wahbi Khazri
Wahbi Khazri (Arabic: وهبي خزري; born 8 February 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder, a left winger, or a forward for Ligue 1 club Montpellier. Having trained at Bastia since 2004, Khazri made his professional debut there in 2009 and quickly became an important part of the team as he helped the club gain promotion to Ligue 2 in 2011 and then Ligue 1 in 2012.
Khazri plays as a midfielder for Montpellier, a club in France’s Ligue 1. Between 2013 and 2022, he played 74 matches and scored 25 goals for the Tunisian national team. He also previously served as the team captain. Wahbi Khazri has played for Tunisia in five African Cup of Nations tournaments and in the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
2. N’Golo Kante - One of the best Muslim soccer players
N'Golo Kanté currently plays for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League and represents the French national team. Known for his humble demeanor and down-to-earth personality off the pitch, Kanté is widely regarded as one of the best central midfielders in the world, thanks to his astonishing work rate and sharp defensive instincts. He is also a Muslim, the son of Malian immigrants who moved to France in 1980. On July 16, 2016, Kanté officially joined Chelsea from Leicester City. On October 23, 2016, he showcased a brilliant dribbling move and combination play.
Completely bypassing the Manchester United defense, he scored against David de Gea, helping Chelsea secure a 4-0 victory over Manchester United. That season, Chelsea won the Premier League title. On May 30, 2021, Kanté became the standout player in the UEFA Champions League final, contributing to Chelsea's victory. Additionally, he was the standout player in both legs of the semi-final between Chelsea and Real Madrid.
3. Karim Benzema - One of the best Muslim soccer players
Karim Mostafa Benzema is a French professional footballer who plays as a striker and is the captain of Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner is often rated as a complete player and one of the best strikers of all time. Karim Benzema is one of the best Muslim footballers in the world.
Throughout his career, Benzema has been known for his superior goalscoring ability, impressive technique, willingness to drop deep to connect with the midfield, and strong physical presence. In addition, he often takes bold attacking actions and creates scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
4. Mohamed Elneny
Mohamed Elneny began his football journey at the age of six, playing in local youth teams. In 1997, Elneny joined the youth academy of Al Ahly. From El Mahalla, he took a train to Cairo, where he had to wait another 30 minutes for a bus to Al Ahly. The daily commute to Al Ahly’s prestigious football academy forced Elneny to wake up at 4 a.m., eat breakfast prepared by his mother, and not return home until 11 p.m.
The option of boarding school was considered by his mother due to the hardships of travel. However, Elneny's father, who was the head coach of Baladeyet Al-Mahalla club at the time and was known for his strict coaching methods, disagreed. He wanted to see his youngest son grow after each day of training in a professional environment. Elneny's thoughts and emotions were carefully noted by his father day after day.
5. Mohamed Salah - One of the best Muslim soccer players
In the summer of 2023, Saudi Pro League clubs made record bids to Liverpool in an attempt to sign The Kop's best player, Mohamed Salah. In the face of attractive offers, the Anfield team still refused to sell the Egyptian star. After the season started, this was probably Liverpool's best decision as Salah continued to shine and helped the 'Red Brigade' soar high in the Premier League table.
The 31-year-old has contributed 12 goals and four assists in his first 17 games this season. In each appearance, Salah has shown that he is improving. In Liverpool's squad, no player has shown greater effort than Salah. The "Egyptian Pharaoh" has become an ideal role model for his teammates.
6. Saïd Benrahma - Among the best Muslim soccer players
Mohamed Saïd Benrahma (Arabic: محمد سعيد بن رحمة; born 10 August 1995) is an Algerian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Ligue 1 club Lyon, on loan from West Ham United, and the Algeria national team. Benrahma began his professional career at Nice, then went on loan to Angers, Gazélec Ajaccio, and Châteauroux early in his career.
He rose to prominence in the EFL Championship following his move to Brentford in 2018, where he scored 27 goals in 83 games for the West London side before securing a Premier League transfer to West Ham in 2021 after a loan spell. West Ham players have always been loved by fans for their fiery play and versatile attacking skills. This gives West Ham many goal-scoring opportunities.
7. Riyad Mahrez
"When you are a boy, you dream of the biggest games," Mahrez declared after helping City reach the Champions League final. As soon as he signed for City in 2018, Mahrez confirmed his desire to win the Champions League. It took Mahrez three years to fulfill that dream.
It's too early to say whether City will beat Chelsea to the crown, but it was Mahrez who ushered in victory for the Etihad side. Having debuted in 2018 as the most expensive player in City's history, Mahrez faced many difficulties in asserting himself. Two seasons ago, Mahrez made 22 appearances in one Premier League season and 33 in the next, but his influence was not fully appreciated.
8. Antonio Rudiger - One of the best Muslim soccer players
Antonio Rudiger joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2022 on a free transfer deal after his contract with Chelsea expired. The German center-back caught the eye of coach Carlo Ancelotti due to his impressive performances in the three-man defense under Thomas Tuchel.
Specifically, Rudiger is an excellent center-back with the ability to carry the ball forward and support the attack. Ancelotti had a clear reason for signing Rudiger, as the Italian coach needed a reliable alternative to the center-back duo of David Alaba and Eder Militao.
9. Thomas Partey - Among the best Muslim soccer players
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has changed his name to Yakubu after converting to Islam following his recent marriage to Moroccan woman Sara Bella. However, despite the name change, the former Atletico Madrid midfielder will still be referred to as Partey when playing for Arsenal. Furthermore, the 28-year-old midfielder will keep the name Thomas on the back of his jersey when playing for Arsenal.
Growing up as a pastor's son in eastern Ghana, Partey told the media in his homeland in October that he had converted to Islam, influenced by Bella. In mid-November, a photo of him in London with a Sheikh was circulated on social media, showing the couple each holding a Quran—the holy book of Islam. Devoting himself fully to Islam, Partey adopted the name Yakubu after marrying Bella.
10. Sadio Mane
Sadio Mané was born on April 10, 1992, in Sédhiou, Senegal. He started playing football from an early age and joined the Generation Foot academy in Dakar, Senegal. In 2011, he signed his first professional contract with FC Metz in France, spending two seasons at the club before moving to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.
Mane has become an important player for the Senegalese national team since making his debut in 2012. He helped Senegal reach the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, although the team ultimately fell short against Algeria. Mane was nominated for the tournament's Best XI due to his impressive performances. Beyond his football career, Mane is known for his humility and commitment to giving back to his community.
Conclusion
The above is a list of the most famous Muslim soccer players in the world, as of 2024. Muslim players often face significant challenges when competing, as they observe a month-long fast during Ramadan. However, this does not hinder their performance. On the contrary, they excel and consistently achieve remarkable success. You can also support these players by following our bookmaker legit website every day.
See also: Top 10 most expensive sports trophy - World Cup, UEFA Champions and others
