There have been many good Muslim sportsmen over the years, playing in a large variety of sports all across the world. A lot of them come from either cricket or football. In cricket it is mainly the sub-continental players, but in football they come from a wide variety of nation. Here are, in my opinion, the current top ten Muslim footballers in the world.
10. Ibrahim Afellay – D.O.B, 2 April 1986 (age 25)
Ibrahim Afellay is a Dutch professional footballer who plays for FC Barcelona as an attacking midfielder or winger. He started his youth career at the age of 10 with his local club, Dutch giants, PSV. He then went on to play for the first team in 2004 aged 17. In the 2010-2011 seasons he was bought by Barcelona, the Spanish club who have won the champions league four times, and made a big impact. He has since then played 17 matches scoring 1 goal and assisting many times. He has the potential to be a very good footballer.
9. Edin Džeko – D.O.B 17 March 1986 (age 26)
Edin Džeko is a Bosnian footballer who currently plays for Manchester City in the English Premier League. Edin started his career at Željezničar, a Bosnian club, at the age of 10 for the youth academy. He stayed there and made the first team seven years later. Three years later he joined Czech club FK Teplise and was loaned to Usti nad Labem straightaway. When he returned to Teplise, he got into goal scoring form, scoring 13 goals in as many games. This caught the sight of German club, Wolfsburg. He had an excellent career there scoring over 60 goals in 112 games. He became the main striker and was respected by his club and country. He then, in 2011, joined Manchester City and made a big impact. He is part of their ‘Big 3’ strike force also containing Mario Balotelli and Sergio Aguero.
8. Thierry Henry – D.O.B 17 August 1977 (age 34)
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French footballer who plays as a striker for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. Henry has been very successful throughout his career at big clubs like Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona. As well as domestic he has been amazingly playing for France. It is said that whilst playing for France Zinadine Zidane, a former world class Frenchman, converted Henry to Islam. Now he is believed to be a practising Muslim. He holds many records as well as being Arsenals highest goal scorer with 254 goals. Because of lack in form, Henry has not made it high as he is worthy of, maybe he’ll get better in the near future.
7. Karim Benzema – D.O.B 19 December 1987 (age 24)
Karim Benzema is a French international footballer who currently plays for Real Madrid in the Spanish La Liga. He is a very talented, practising Muslim who has been at the top of Spanish football for a while now. He started his career in his home town at the youth academy of SC Bron Terraillion. At the mere age of 9 he was scouted by Lyon, the French masterminds of football, and who would refuse to such an offer. He remained there till 2009 scoring 43 goal in 112 appearances. This talent wasn’t something to waste; it caught the sight of Real Madrid. He has now scored 37 goals in 82 appearances.
6. Éric Abidal – D.O.B 11 September 1979 (age 32)
Eric Abidal is a French footballer who captain FC Barcelona in the La Liga. He is also the French national team captain. He started his youth career in the year 1999 with Lyon. In 2000 he moved Monaco and then in 2002 he was bought by Lille. He had a great career that lasted 60 games with the French club. He then returned to his home town and played for the Lyon first team. Whilst playing for Lyon the Left back scored his first goal. That same summer he was sold to FC Barcelona for 9 million Euros. He has since then won many trophies with the Catalan club including 2 Champions League title! He missed out the 2009 Champions League final due to suspension, receiving this by fouling fellow Frenchman Nicolas Anelka. But then in the 2011 final he was given the honour to captain Barcelona to a 3-1 victory against Manchester United and took the Champions League Trophy. Abidal has an illustrious career playing over 300 games for both club and country scoring only a few, but very important, goals. He is a practising Muslim with a bright future.
5. Samir Nasri – D.O.B 26 June 1987 (age 24)
Samir Nasri is a French footballer of Algerian decent currently playing for Manchester City. He is the eldest of four siblings and is a non-practising Muslim. He is a much respected player and part of a very strong Manchester City attack. He started his career at the tender age of just 8 with Pennes Mirabeau, then, two years later, he went to his home town Marseille. He was picked for the first team in 2004 and made a difference straightaway by scoring on his debut. He had scored 11 goals all together in his 4 years at French club, and then was bought by Arsenal. He got playing straightaway, with the number 8 shirt on his back, against VfB Stuggart. Nasri scored 18 goals and assisted over 30 with the Gunners and was a key member of the team. Then in 2011 he joined Manchester City for a whopping £25 million. He has scored 4 goals in 22 games and remains a great player.
4. Mesut Ozil – D.O.B 15 October 1988 (age 23)
Mesut Ozil is a German footballer who plays for Real Madrid and for the German national team. He is a practising Muslim who recites the Qur’ān before every match. Ozil has been a great example to the young German footballers and looks to be a very good player in the near future. He started his youth career in the year 1995 aged only 7, he was scouted by many teams in a ten year period before making the Schalke04 first team in 2006. He remained there for a short period of time before leaving to join Werder Bremen. At Werder he scored 13 goals in 71 games, an excellent achievement for a centre-midfielder, and didn’t get a sending of once. He then moved to Real Madrid for around 15 million Euros. In Madrid he has scored 7 goals in 63 games against the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan and Manchester United. He is also very good whilst playing for Germany. Ozil has scored 8 goals in 31 appearances and is a consistent part of the team. Ozil is one of Germany’s best players and has a bright future ahead of him.
3. Yayah Touré – D.O.B 13 May 1983 (age28)
Yayah Toure is an Ivorian player who currently plays Centre-attacking Midfield for Manchester City. Yayah is a practising Muslim with two other siblings (Kolo Habib Toure and Ibrahim Toure). Both his siblings too are practising Muslims, with one of them (Kolo) also playing for Manchester City. Toure started his career at his local club ASEC Abidjan and remained there for 5 years. He then moved to Europe and played for Belgian side Beveren for two-and-a-half years and later for one and a half years at Ukrainian side Metalurh Donetsk. Then in 2005 he was signed by Greek club Olympiacos but only stayed for one season before leaving for Monaco in France. Toure was offered by Barcelona but the French club rejected the offer. They then came with a much improved offer which they couldn’t resist. He remained at Barcelona for 4 years scoring four goals in 74 appearances. He provided some good goals including one that knocked out Schalke 04 in the Champions League quarter finals. In 2010 Yayah Toure left for Manchester City where once again he provided many goals. Only last season Toure scored the only goal that won the FA cup for Manchester City. This season he has been a key part of the team and that showed when City lacked form in his absence, when he left for the African Cup of Nations.
2. Franck Ribery – D.O.B 7 April 1983 (age 28)
Franck Ribery is a French footballer currently playing for German side Bayern Munich. He is a converted practising Muslim who goes by the name Bilal Yusuf Mohammad or Franck Bilal Ribery. Ribery started his youth career in the year 1989 at the young age of 5. He played at Conti Boulogne, Lille and then Boulogne. Aged only 17 Ribery made the Boulogne first team scoring 8 times in 28 games. He was a great addition to the team and looked to be a future star in waiting. He joined Allez, a French club, after that and had a disappointing season. He scored once in 20 games. He then left Allez for Stade Brestois and then went to Metz, at the age of just 20, and got back into good form. Ribery played for 3 clubs in the space of a year Metz, Galatasaray and Marseille all in 2005. When playing for Galatasaray, Ribery didn’t score once in his 15 appearances. He had a good start at Marseille that continued for the rest of his career. He was given the name, by Zinadine Zidane, Jewel of French football. Ribery left the French team for Bayern Munich. He has scored 42 goals in 112 appearances, very impressive for a winger. He delivers dangerous cross from different angles, and is among the most feared players in football. Not only is he famous on-field but off the pitch too. He has some of his own TV shows and has been invited to many chat shows too. He is truly a football legend.
1. Robin van Persie – D.O.B 6 August 1983 (age 28)
Robin van Persie is a Dutch footballer currently playing for the English club Arsenal. He is truly a master of football. He is a non-practising Muslim who has been at the top of professional football for a couple of years now. He has had an excellent career and it looks to continue to be like that. Van Persie started his career at the age of 14. He switched between two clubs, Excelsior and Feyenoord, for two year before moving fully to Feyenoord. He made the first team in 2001, aged 18, and did a very good job. Van Persie scored 26 goals in 60 appearances. He played there for 3 years before moving to Arsenal for £2.5 million. He made his debut against Manchester United in the Community Shield and came on as a substitute to accompany Thierry Henry up front. They came on top that day beating United 3-1. Later that season, Van Persie scored a Gem of a goal against Blackburn Rovers to knock them out of the FA Cup. In the same match he scored again before being taken off due to injury. He ended the season with 10 goals. His next three seasons were very good scoring 12, 14 and 10 goals respectively. This saw Van Persie win numerous Man of the Match awards and was now the main striker. The following season Robin scored 21 goals all together as well as leading Arsenal to 5 consecutive victories as stand-in captain.
Van Persie had a disappointing season in 2009/2010 mainly due to injury and lack of form; but he bounced back the following season with 25 goals, helping Arsenal to 3rd place in the Premier League. This season Robin van Persie has hit the limit scoring from every different direction, in every different way. In 30 league appearances he has scored 26 goals and 33 in all competitions. He has kept arsenal in the game when they aren’t and has kept their title chances alive. What a find by Wenger! This £2.5 million find is now worth over £80 million, he has everything that a good footballer needs and is truly the greatest Muslim footballer in the world.
This is what I think the world’s best Muslim footballers, but what do you think? Is this your top ten, or could you find better players? What is your top ten?