PARIS — French national soccer team player Franck Ribery did not notice that his reversion to Islam would steal the limelight at his country's opener in Germany World Cup 2006 as the attacking midfielder raised his hands and supplicated to God like a typical Muslim before the kickoff.
The 23-year-old Ribery sees his new faith a matter of privacy and dislikes to talk about it in public with many French knowing nothing about his reversion to Islam.
The Olympique Marseille right-sided winger and midfielder has even been reluctant to tell reporters his reversion story, though it is believed that his Muslim wife, of Moroccan origin, played a pivotal role in his new lease of life.
Some reports hinted at his one-year stay in Turkish Galatasaray in 2005 when he helped the team win the 2005 Turkish Cup.
He rarely speaks about how he found the Muslim faith, urging the paparazzi to let him live in peace.
But he recently told the Paris Match magazine that he felt "safe" with Islam.
"Islam is my source of strength either in or outside the playground," he said.
"I lead a difficult career and I was determined to find peace of mind, and I finally found Islam."
Ribery's reversion to Islam was first leaked by L'Express magazine earlier this year, though the weekly did not mention him by name and said that a national team player was used to frequenting a mosque in southern Marseille.
Thousands of French revert to Islam every year in France, but not all of them declare their new faith outright, fearing discrimination at home or work and a stereotypical view that reverts tilt towards extremism, according to recent studies and surveys.
Last March, sources confirmed that former French soccer coach Philippe Troussier and his wife Dominique had reverted to Islam in the Moroccan capital where they live.
Super striker Anelka, who played for Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City, eventually had to leave for the Turkish league after increasing harassment.
France is home to some six to seven million Muslims, the largest Muslim minority in Europe.
Proud
Steve Bradore of Shehada organization, which caters for Muslim reverts, said that French Muslims must be proud of Ribery.
"He is really a source of pride for us due his unique performance and modesty," he told IslamOnline.net Saturday, June 17.
Ribery is tipped to succeed playmaker legend and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane, who said he will quit football at the end of the World Cup.
He started his playing career at his home town club US Boulogne and then moved to Alès, Brest and FC Metz in consecutive seasons.
His move to Olympique Marseille has earned him top French player honors for the months of August, October and November 2005. He was selected for the France squad for the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.
France's opener with Switzerland at the World Cup ended goalless to the disappointment of the French people.
The French team will play on Sunday, June 18, with South Korea, which is a virtual must-win fixture for the 1998 World Cup winners if they are to cruise square two.
The Koreans top Group G ahead after the 2-1 win over Togo.
CAIRO — Superstar Muslim footballers leading several high-profile European teams in Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup are contributing to a paradigm shift, showing a face of Islam some have not seen and many others have claimed never existed.
"Muslim players in European soccer teams are a proof that their faith and cultures are not stumbling blocks hindering contribution to the development of their societies in all domains," Anas al-Tikriti, former chairman of the Muslim Association of Britain, told IslamOnline.net.
"They can help clear misconceptions about Islam and prove that the Muslim faith is a way of life," he added.
Many Muslim players have captured the limelight during their participation in the world football gala.
Among them is French playmaker legend and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane.
His expected successor, midfielder Franck Ribery, has also made headlines during his country's opener against Switzerland.
Ribery, a native French revert, raised his hands and supplicated to God like a typical Muslim before the kickoff.
Among the other prominent Muslim names in the mondial are Dutch Boulahrouz Khalid and Van Persie Robin as well as Swede Ibrahimovic Zlatan.
Ideal
Burgat said the successes refute misconceptions about Islam and ease hardships facing Muslim minorities in the West.
Renowned French intellectual Francois Burgat said successes in sports and other fields help refute allegations about Muslims and ease hardships facing the Muslim minorities in the West.
"Those players are giving the best example of the true nature of Islam," he told IOL.
"The consecutive selection of Zidane as France's most popular man is a step in this direction," Burgat believes.
Tirkriti agreed, saying such stars can help in better integrating Muslims in their European societies and being accepted by fellow citizens.
"A footballer can have a greater influence than a scholar or a preacher if he offers a good example to others," noted the activist.
He recalled one incident while delivering a sermon at a mosque in Aberdeen, Scotland, during the last holy month of Ramadan.
"The place of worship was unusually teeming with people and when I asked the imam about it he said that two Muslims who play in the Scottish league attend prayers during Ramadan."
Tirkriti said European Muslims who make it to the top in any field serve as models for fellow Muslims.
He believes that such superstars can also contribute to solving many of the problems young European Muslims suffer.
The British Muslim leader regretted the lack of self-confidence and engagement by many young Muslims because of the increasing anti-Muslim rhetoric.
PARIS — French national soccer team player Franck Ribery did not notice that his reversion to Islam would steal the limelight at his country's opener in Germany World Cup 2006 as the attacking midfielder raised his hands and supplicated to God like a typical Muslim before the kickoff.
The 23-year-old Ribery sees his new faith a matter of privacy and dislikes to talk about it in public with many French knowing nothing about his reversion to Islam.
The Olympique Marseille right-sided winger and midfielder has even been reluctant to tell reporters his reversion story, though it is believed that his Muslim wife, of Moroccan origin, played a pivotal role in his new lease of life.
Some reports hinted at his one-year stay in Turkish Galatasaray in 2005 when he helped the team win the 2005 Turkish Cup.
He rarely speaks about how he found the Muslim faith, urging the paparazzi to let him live in peace.
But he recently told the Paris Match magazine that he felt "safe" with Islam.
"Islam is my source of strength either in or outside the playground," he said.
"I lead a difficult career and I was determined to find peace of mind, and I finally found Islam."
Ribery's reversion to Islam was first leaked by L'Express magazine earlier this year, though the weekly did not mention him by name and said that a national team player was used to frequenting a mosque in southern Marseille.
Thousands of French revert to Islam every year in France, but not all of them declare their new faith outright, fearing discrimination at home or work and a stereotypical view that reverts tilt towards extremism, according to recent studies and surveys.
Last March, sources confirmed that former French soccer coach Philippe Troussier and his wife Dominique had reverted to Islam in the Moroccan capital where they live.
Super striker Anelka, who played for Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester City, eventually had to leave for the Turkish league after increasing harassment.
France is home to some six to seven million Muslims, the largest Muslim minority in Europe.
Proud
Steve Bradore of Shehada organization, which caters for Muslim reverts, said that French Muslims must be proud of Ribery.
"He is really a source of pride for us due his unique performance and modesty," he told IslamOnline.net Saturday, June 17.
Ribery is tipped to succeed playmaker legend and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane, who said he will quit football at the end of the World Cup.
He started his playing career at his home town club US Boulogne and then moved to Alès, Brest and FC Metz in consecutive seasons.
His move to Olympique Marseille has earned him top French player honors for the months of August, October and November 2005. He was selected for the France squad for the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.
France's opener with Switzerland at the World Cup ended goalless to the disappointment of the French people.
The French team will play on Sunday, June 18, with South Korea, which is a virtual must-win fixture for the 1998 World Cup winners if they are to cruise square two.
The Koreans top Group G ahead after the 2-1 win over Togo.
Among them is French playmaker legend and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane is of Algerian origin and his parents are muslims. but he isn't. i remember reading online somewhere, that he said.. "I am a non-praying, non-practicing muslim"..
i hav heard tht thierry is a muslim as well, named himself aslam. but i am not convinced becus theres no proof i herd it 4rm mouth. 2 many roumors goin around... 1 certain muslim i know of is mohammed kallon of internazionale.
any1 kno any mor ?
Hey there! Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
When you create an account, we remember exactly what you've read, so you always come right back where you left off. You also get notifications, here and via email, whenever new posts are made. And you can like posts and share your thoughts. Sign Up
Hide
Looks like you're enjoying the discussion, but you're not signed up for an account.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks