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#5 Edin Dzeko
One of the most underrated strikers in world football, Edin Dzeko has practiced Islam since he was born. The Bosnian striker has been successful wherever he has played, especially for Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, Premier League side Manchester City, AS Roma and now with Inter Milan. A prolific goalscorer, Dzeko had a stunning 2016/17 season where he scored 39 goals in 51 appearances.
An absolute superstar in his home country of Bosnia, Dzeko is also multilingual and capable of speaking four languages – Bosnian, Czech, German and English fluently. He is also involved in plenty of charitable ventures and even became his country’s first UNICEF ambassador.
Dzeko will be determined to add some more chapters to his already storied career. The Bosnian Diamond will be determined to guide Inter to back-to-back Serie A titles.
#4 Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane is a devout Muslim and a teetotaler. The Senegalese forward has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League and Mane credited religion with playing a huge role in his success.
In an earlier interview with the Daily Mail, Mane spoke about the importance of Islam in his life:
“Religion is very important to me. I respect the rules of Islam and I pray five times a day, always. I won't touch alcohol. There was no conflict between religion and the fact that I wanted to play football. I was brought up correctly and in the right way and my parents are proud of the fact that I am a footballer.”
Mane’s father was even the Imam of a local mosque in his home country in Senegal. A true superstar in Africa, Mane is determined to give back to the region he came from and make it a better place.
#3 Miralem Pjanic
Bought by Juventus as a replacement for Paul Pogba, Pjanic quickly settled into his role as the chief playmaker for Bianconeri. Gifted with amazing technical ability, playmaking skills and tactical versatility, Pjanic is also exceptional at taking free-kicks.
Having moved to Luxembourg before the start of the Bosnian war, Pjanic quickly grew up to be one of the best ball-playing midfielders of this generation. Now representing Bosnia, Pjanic, like his compatriot Dzeko, is a Muslim from birth.
Known for his calm and composed style on the ball, Pjanic’s incisive passing and vision are his hallmarks. Pjanic currently plays for Besiktas, on loan from Barcelona.
#2 Franck Ribery
One of the greatest wingers of all time, Franck Ribery converted to Islam in 2002 after being inspired by his wife Wahiba, who is of Algerian descent. He also added the name Bilal after his conversion.
Speaking about his conversion from Christianity to Islam, Ribery said:
"Religion is my personal thing. I am a believer and since I converted to Islam, I think, I became stronger, I became mentally and physically stronger. Religion did not change my personality or my perception of the world. I pray five times a day, I do it because it enables me to be released and I feel better afterwards"
The Frenchman is a staunch follower of Islam and was even reportedly extremely angry with Boateng for dousing him in beer after winning the Bundesliga in 2013. A true Bayern Munich legend, Ribery is currently playing in Serie A with Salernitana.
#1 Paul Pogba
One of the most marketable footballers in the world, Paul Pogba is a devout and practising Muslim from birth. The Manchester United star made a world-record transfer from Juventus and though he initially struggled to make an impact, he soon started showing his quality.
Born in Siene-et-Marne to Guinean parents, Paul Pogba along with his brothers Florentin and Mathias are Muslim.
One of the most valuable players in the world, Pogba is capable of playing as a central midfielder and in a slightly more advanced role. He could be on the move again after the 2021-22 season, as his contract with Manchester United comes to an end.
