[Sadio Mane is considered one of the best players in the world and amongst the greatest African players of all time, he is known for his pressing, dribbling, and speed.]
Finally, FIFA World Cup 2022 opens Sunday November 20, 2022 with a gala opening ceremony followed by the tournament opener between Qatar (host) and Ecuador.
A total of 32 teams represented by as many countries have qualified for the football tournament. The organiser has divided the 32 teams in 08 groups.
Of the 32 countries participating in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, a total 07 countries - Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Iran, Tunisia, Morocco and Cameroon, are Muslim countries and OIC members.
Most of the players in the 07 countries that are also the OIC are Muslims. However, Muslims have also a strong and powerful representation in other teams including Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Ghana, Spain, Switzerland and Unites States.
Here is the list of 21 Muslim football players who will be keenly watched in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
1. Aziz Behich
Turkish Cypriot origin Aziz Behich plays as a left back for Scottish club Dundee United and the Australian national team. A prominent member of Australia’s World Cup Squad, Behich is keen to make his country proud.
“Honoured to be selected to represent my country at another World Cup! Bring on Qatar 2022,” Behich said on Instagram.
Behich made his debut for Melbourne Victory's first team on 16 January 2010
2. Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard plays as a winger for Spanish club Real Madrid and is the captain of Belgium's national team. Given Hazard’s long-standing professional career, hopes are high for the player to successfully lead the Belgian team in the Qatar World Cup.
Hazard played for various Belgian national youth teams. In 2018, Hazard ranked as the best dribbler in Europe’s top five leagues, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain stars Neymar and Lionel Messi, according to the CIES Football Observatory.
France’s official World Cup squad list features a number of Muslim footballers who have reached the world’s biggest leagues. Some of the most keenly watched Muslim footballers in the French team are:
3. Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema, a French professional footballer, was born to Algerian parents. Benzema plays as a striker for and captains La Liga club Real Madrid, and the France national team.
He first donned the France jersey in 2007. He remained suspended from the national side between 2015 and 2021. He was recalled to the France team last year. Despite missing several years of international football, Benzema featured 97 times for France, scoring 37 goals.
A creative and prolific forward, Benzema is regarded as one of the best strikers of all time.
4. Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele is a French professional footballer who plays as a winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the France national team.
After winning 20 caps and scoring five goals at youth level, Dembélé made his senior international debut for France in 2016. He was a member of the France squad that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup, also featuring at UEFA Euro 2020.
Dembele earned the nickname “Mosquito” due to his remarkable speed on the pitch.
5. Youssouf Fofana
Born to Malian parents, Youssef Fofana is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for French club AS Monaco and France’s national team.
Fofana was a youth international for France from under-19 to under-21 level. He received his first call-up to the France national team on 15 September 2022 for two UEFA Nations League matches.
6. Ibrahima Konate
Ibrahima Konate plays as a center-back for the English club Liverpool FC and France’s national team.
Konaté received his first call-up to the senior France national team in June 2022 for the UEFA Nations League, replacing Raphaël Varane due to injury. He made his full international debut on 10 June the same in a 1–1 draw against Austria.
Commenting on his inclusion in the country’s official squad list for FIFA World Cup 2022, Konate said on Instagram:
“What a pride and what an honor to be able to represent France for the biggest competition. This is a childhood dream come true.”
Germany’s squad list for the global tournament also includes a number of Muslim players.
7. Antonio Rudiger
29-year-old German Antonio Rudiger plays as a center-back for the Spanish club Real Madrid and Germany’s national team.He made his international debut for Germany in May 2014.
Antonio Rudiger had missed UEFA Euro 2016 due to an injury suffered earlier in the season but he was part of the squad that won the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. He kept his spot in the squad for the 2018 World Cup, and later also took part in UEFA Euro 2020.
8. Ilkay Gundogan
Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is a key member of the Bavarian national team.
Gundogan made his senior debut for Germany in 2011 after previously being capped by Germany youth teams at under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels. He was chosen in Germany's squads for UEFA Euro 2012, the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2020.
Gundogan's former coach at German club Borussia Dortmund, Jurgen Klopp, described him as an “intelligent and complete midfielder with numerous strengths.”
9. Leroy Sane
Leroy Sane plays as a winger for German club Bayern Munich and the German national team. Sane made his senior international debut for Germany in November 2015 and was part of their squad that reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016.
Sane is excited to represent his country in Qatar.
“Let’s start our World Cup journey,” he wrote on Instagram.
10. Karim Adeyemi
German footballer Karim Adeyemi will also feature in the upcoming global event. The 20-year-old plays as a forward for the German club Borussia Dortmund.
He made his debut for the Germany senior team in a 6–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification win over Armenia on 5 September 2021, coming on as a late substitute and scoring his side's sixth goal in the first minute of second-half injury time.
11. Thomas Partey
Ghanaian footballer and Arsenal star Thomas Partey has featured among Ghana’s official World Cup squad list. A Ghanaian international, Partey represented his nation at three Africa Cup of Nations (2017, 2019, and 2021). He was named into the CAF Team of the Year in 2018, and won Ghana Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
Partey converted to Islam earlier this year and indicated that his Moroccan girlfriend Sara Bella was behind his conversion.
“It is time to prepare for the World Cup and we will continue to work hard to defend the good name of Ghana on the world stage,” Partey said on Instagram.
12. Achraf Hakimi
Achraf Hakimi Mouh is a professional footballer who plays for French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Morocco national team. Predominantly a right-back, Hakimi is equally lethal on the left side. He made his international debut in 2016. Since his debut, Hakimi has played for Morocco 53 times and scored 8 goals.
Born in Spain to parents from Morocco, Hakimi represented Morocco at various youth levels, before making his international debut in 2016 aged 17.
13. Noussair Mazraoui
Mazraoui is a right-back who also plays for Morocco. He made his international debut in 2018. Born in the Netherlands, Mazraoui has represented Morocco internationally since 2017. Since his debut, Mazraoui has played 14 games for Morocco, scoring two goals.
14. Yassine Bounou
Yassine Bounou, also known as Bono, is a Moroccan professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Sevilla and the Morocco national team. He spent most of his career in Spain, making over 100 La Liga appearances for Girona and Sevilla, and 56 in Segunda División for Zaragoza and Girona.
He made his international debut in 2013. So far, Bono has represented Morocco on 45 occasions, keeping 28 clean sheets.
15. Kalidou Koulibaly
Kalidou Koulibaly plays as a center-back for Senegal. He made his international debut in 2015. Koulibaly has played 64 games for Senegal. He was instrumental in helping his country lift the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations against Egypt.
As Koulibaly was born in France to Senegalese parents, he was eligible to represent both nations at international level, and initially played for the France national under-20 team. He later made his senior debut with Senegal in 2015, and was a member of the Senegal squad that took part at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
16. Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane plays as a left-winger for Senegal. He made his international debut in 2012. So far, Mane has played 93 games for Senegal, bagging 34 goals.
Mane had a stellar 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, helping Senegal to its first continental triumph. He scored the winning penalty in the final of the tournament. He scored three and assisted two goals, clinching the player of the tournament award.
Mane is considered one of the best players in the world and amongst the greatest African players of all time, he is known for his pressing, dribbling, and speed.
17. Ansu Fati
The Guinea-Bissau-born Ansu Fati has distinguished himself as a talented and skilled player at a young age. The 20-year-old plays as a forward for FC Barcelona and is said to be Lionel Messi’s heir at the club.
Fati is widely considered one of Spain's most exciting football talents, and one of the best young players in the world. He became the club’s player with most number of goals before the age of 19, surpassing Messi.
Switzerland’s World Cup squad also features prominent Muslim players.
18. Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka is a Swiss footballer who plays as a midfielder for the London-based club Arsenal FC.
Xhaka was part of the Swiss team that won the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He made his senior debut in 2011 and has won over 100 caps, representing the nation at the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2018, and the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and 2020.
The 30-year-old, who also captains his national team, is “excited for what [the] team can achieve on the pitch” at the world cup, he said on Instagram.
19. Haris Seferovic
Born to Bosnian parents, Swiss footballer Haris Seferovic plays as a striker for Turkish club Galatasaray and is set to represent his country in the upcoming World Cup.
A full international since 2013, Seferovic represented Switzerland at the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2018, and the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and 2020, earning over 80 caps.
Seferovic describes himself as a non-practicing Muslim, but said:
“I am a believer … and that gives me strength.”
20. Xherdan Shaqiri
Swiss footballer Xherdan Shaqiri was born in Yugoslavia to Kosovar Albanian parents. He plays as a winger for the American club Chicago Fire and Switzerland’s national team.
A full international since 2010, Shaqiri has earned 108 caps and scored 26 goals for Switzerland, making him the country's joint-third most capped player and seventh-highest goalscorer. He represented the nation at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, as well as UEFA Euro 2016 and UEFA Euro 2020.
21. Yunus Musah
Valencia CF midfielder Yunus Musah is a key player of the US national team. Born in the United States to Ghanaian parents, he grew up mostly in Italy and England. He was a youth international for England before committing to the United States in 2021.
The 19-year-old player’s World Cup dream is finally coming true, as he dreamed of taking part in the global tournament since he joined the US’ national team at the age of 17.
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