top 10 Muslim Football (soccer) players

[Sister.]

The Top 10 Muslim Football Players

1. Nicolas (Bilal) Anelka


Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka converted to Islam in 2004 in the UAE after deep discussions about religion with childhood friends, he took the Muslim name Abdul-Salam Bilal. Anelka was a Manchester City player at the time and considered moving to play his football in the UAE before settling on a move to Turkish club Fenerbache.

2. Franck (Bilal) Ribery


French player Franck Ribery is also a convert to Islam, with his wife French-Algerian wife having been raised a Muslim herself, Ribery was recently quoted as having said "I pray five times a day, I do it because it enables me to be released and I feel better afterwards."

3. Kolo (Habib) Toure


Arsenal centre back Kolo Toure was raised in the Ivory Coast and played for ASEC Mimosas before he was bought by the Gunners. Toure is a practicing Muslim, as are his family, and has previously stated his desire to become a role model for young British Muslims.

4. Frederick (Oumar) Kanoute


French born Malian Kanoute, who plays for Seville and the French national team as a striker, has been practising Islam since the age of 20 (he is now 32). He refused to wear the Seville shirt whilst it was sponsored by gambling website 888.com, and therefore wore a brand free version. Kanoute has also purchased a Mosque in Seville for $700k after its lease had expired.

5. Karim Benzema


Karim Benzema was born in France to parents of Algerian-Kabyle descent, and is openly a practising Muslim. Benzema currently plays for Real Madrid following a 35 million euro transfer from Lyon, he has also become a regular international player for France.

6. Samir Nasri


The young Samir Nasri has been a revelation at Arsenal and has been hailed by many in France as 'The New Zidane'. I'm not convinced that Nasri can achieve the same things as Zidane, but he is without doubt a very talented player. Nasri was born to Algerian parents in France and raised as a Muslimm, his girlfriend is non-muslim.

7. Yaya Toure


Yaya Toure is the younger brother of Kolo Toure (number 3) and plays as a defensive midfielder for Barcelona, although he is not a first choice player very often. Like his brother, Yaya is a practising Muslim.

8. Hatem Ben Arfa


Hatem Ben Arfa is a talented French international player of Tunisian descent, and is currently plying his trade at Marseille. His father was a Tunisian international, and his whole family is muslim.

9. Khalid Boulahrouz


Khalid Boulahrouz is a Dutch international defender of Berber Moroccan descent, he currently plays in Germany for Stuttgart. The Berber people are almost entirely Sunni Muslim, as is Boulahrouz and his family.

10. Abou Diaby
(lol this brother's name sounds a like 'Abu Dhabi' )


Abou Diaby, like the Toure brothers, is of Ivorian descent. He was raised in France, and has played for their international team. The Arsenal star, who plays as a central midfielder, remains a practising muslim.

[Newbee]

I've seen Franck (Bilal) Ribery make sujood on the field twice before, mashaa'Allaah.

[Sinan.]

Your missing Mesut Ozil!

[Musa]

4. Frederick (Oumar) Kanoute


French born Malian Kanoute, who plays for Seville and the French national team as a striker, has been practising Islam since the age of 20 (he is now 32). He refused to wear the Seville shirt whilst it was sponsored by gambling website 888.com, and therefore wore a brand free version. Kanoute has also purchased a Mosque in Seville for $700k after its lease had expired.

Text doesn't match the picture?? May Allah reward him though for his contributions.


Kanoute Saves Spanish Mosque

IslamOnline.net & News Agencies

MADRID — Malian Muslim footballer Frederic Kanoute, the striker of Spain's Seville FC, has saved the only mosque in the southern Spanish city of Seville from closure.
Kanoute has paid 510,860 euros (some $700,000) so that fellow Muslims in Seville would not find themselves without a mosque, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP) Thursday, December 13.

The privately owned mosque was due to be sold after a contract to use the premises by the local Muslim population had expired.

But Kanoute stepped in to purchase the building.

The 30-year-old striker has not made any comment on the matter.

But city authorities have confirmed that the property has been registered in Kanoute's name, according to the BBC Sport.

It is estimated that Kanoute has spent almost a year's salary to buy the mosque.

Kanoute, , one of the finalists for the 2007 BBC African Footballer of the Year award, moved in 2005 from French champion Lyon to Seville FC, the 2006-07 Spanish league's third and the holder of last season's cup championship.

Spanish Muslims said they really appreciate Kanoute's moving gesture.

"If it had not been for Kanoute then we would not have had a mosque on Fridays, which is the most holy day of the week for Muslims," a spokesman for the Islamic Community of Spain was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

Kanoute, who has also created a foundation in his motherland Mali to help orphans, reverted to Islam 10 years ago.

Last Ramadan, he impressed Spanish football fans by his unique performance though he was fasting.

Kanoute was crowned last year the league's top scorer with 20 goals, outperforming football legends such as Brazilian Ronaldinho.

Kanoute, a practicing Muslim who regularly performs his prayers even in the locker room, refused last season to wear a jersey advertising for an internet gambling site, because gambling is forbidden in Islam.

His team had to give him a brand-free jersey until he accepted wearing the sponsored jersey in return for money to an Islamic charity.

[Sister.]

Your missing Mesut Ozil!

lol bro i didn't compile the list my brother asked me to google samir nasri to see if he's a Muslim because he was playing last night, and I came across this list and thought wow! And decided to share

[S I M B A]

Mahamadou Diarra


Salomon Kalou

[Sinan.]

14. Karin Benzema
- France
- Real Madrid

[Hope]

Insha'Allah my nephew will be up there one day. He came first in his local area FC, he is training with NSW FC (an ex-milan soccer player is his coach) and next year he will try out for a program called "Project 2022". Masha'Allah he has huge potential, he is the star player of his team (and he is only 7 masha'Allah Allahu akbar)

[Sinan.]

Karim Benzema scored 2 goals ( game still in progress )
alhamdulilAh!

[Sinan.]

Make that 3 goals a hattrickk maashaaAllah