World Cup squads showcase faith and unity amid deep social divisions at home

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While many of the World Cup’s competing nations are wracked by social divisions, some of their teams offer strikingly positive examples of how players from different backgrounds and religious faiths can cooperate closely in pursuit of a common goal.

The phenomenon is particularly notable among Western European teams, which for most of soccer’s history were overwhelmingly white and Christian. As those societies have increasingly diversified, so have the national team rosters — featuring Christian and Muslim players who are open about their faith.

England’s national squad, for the first time, includes a Muslim player. France’s roster has multiple players from Protestant, Catholic and Muslim backgrounds. Spain’s emerging superstar, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, is a practicing Muslim. So is Sweden’s Yasin Ayari, who prostrated himself on the field to thank God after the first of his two goals in a victory Sunday over Tunisia — his father’s homeland.

All four of those nations — like several others in Europe — have experienced political polarization related to the arrival of large numbers of Muslim immigrants. Does the diversity of the World Cup teams send a potentially helpful message?

“Absolutely,” said Eboo Patel, who — as president of Interfaith America — advocates for religious pluralism and cooperation. “It is symbolic yet also substantive.”

He evoked the images of Christian players crossing themselves, and Muslim players cupping their hands in prayer. Their message, Patel said, is, “My identity really matters to me and it makes me a better soccer player.”

“They score, they each say their respective prayers, and then they’re hugging each other,” he added. “You’re cooperating to build a community and a team. … It’s not a contrived television ad or a condescending afterschool special. It’s the way you build an excellent soccer team.”

These are some of the World Cup players whose openness about their faith has drawn attention:

By far the best known of Egypt’s players, Salah is a Sunni Muslim who practices his faith openly, on and off the field. After scoring goals, he often prostrates himself to give thanks to God. His positive impact has been tangible: After he joined Liverpool in the Premier League, researchers reported that anti-Muslim tweets by fans dropped by half.

Playing in his fifth World Cup, Modrić, 40, is set to surpass 200 international appearances during the tournament. A Catholic, Modrić has often 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.

Although the Football Association has not kept records of players' religions, the BBC — among other news outlets — has identified Spence as the first Muslim to play for the senior England team. A fullback with Tottenham, Spence played six times for England’s under-21 squad. “It’s good to make history and hopefully inspire young kids around the world that they can make it as well,” Spence told the BBC. “They can do what I am doing.”

Yamal, a Muslim whose father is Moroccan, attracted 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.”

The son of a Christian minister in London, Guéhi, 25, 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 his previous club Crystal Palace, Guéhi defied the Football Association’s rules by writing religious messages on his uniform during a Premier League campaign celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion. Guéhi avoided punishment, though the FA prohibits players from displaying religious messages.

Religious minorities have long faced persecution in Iraq. Yet this year’s World Cup team includes Kurds, Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, and several Christians — notable since Iraq’s Christian population is estimated to have fallen from 1.5 million in 2003 to about 150,000 now. One of those Christians, midfielder Aimar Sher, has eagerly shared his faith, posting photos on social media of him wearing an “I Belong to Jesus” T-shirt.

U.S. forward Pulisic has spoken openly about his Christian faith and often wears a cross necklace given by his mother. He has led team Bible studies; his Instagram posts have included photos of the Bible, showing passages he has underlined. Several of Pulisic’s 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.”

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Associated Press 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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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup