WCup Religious Diversity Soccer

While many of the World Cup’s competing nations are wracked by social divisions, some of the teams offer strikingly positive examples of how players from different backgrounds and religious faiths can cooperate. The phenomenon is particularly notable among Western European teams. As those societies have increasingly diversified, so have the national team rosters. They feature Christian and Muslim players who are open about their faith. England’s team for the first time includes a Muslim. 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 scored twice in a victory over Tunisia.