World Cup 2026: Muslim footballers challenge Europe's identity debate

World Cup 2026: Muslim footballers challenge Europe's identity debate Submitted by Bassil Mikdadi on Mon, 07/13/2026 - 08:35 From Lamine Yamal to Yasin Ayari and Cape Verde's converts, a new generation of footballers is challenging the notion that Islam is somehow foreign to Europe Spain's Lamine Yamal celebrates by performing the sujood (prostration) after scoring his first goal at the 2026 World Cup on 21 June 2026 (Claudia Greco/Reuters) Off For decades, Islam has been a political lightning rod in Europe. But on football's biggest stage, a new generation of footballers are demonstrating that the faith is very much a part of the continent's fabric. There are an estimated two billion Muslims worldwide, making up roughly a quarter of the global population.