Manchester City Footballers Religion 2026/2027 Squad

Manchester City enter the 2026–27 campaign for the 132nd season in the club’s history, marking a quarter-century of unbroken membership in England’s top flight. Beyond the Premier League grind, City will also chase honors in the FA Cup and EFL Cup while lining up in the UEFA Champions League for a 16th straight year. That being said, the current squad features players from different religious faiths across Christianity and Islam.

Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, and Marc Guéhi are among the notable players in the squad who are Christians. Manchester City also has a strong Muslim contingent in the squad, including players like Rayan Cherki and Abdukodir Khusanov.

Please contact us if you see any mistakes or errors regarding a specific player’s religion, and we would be happy to fix them.

Gianluigi Donnarumma Religion

Gianluigi Donnarumma is an Italian professional footballer who is a practicing Catholic.

Donnarumma was born on 25 February 1999 in Castellammare di Stabia, in the Naples region of Italy, and he plays as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and captains the Italy national team. He began his career joining the youth system of Club Napoli before transferring to AC Milan’s academy in 2013. Two years later, in October 2015, Donnarumma made his senior debut for Milan at the age of 16 years and 242 days, becoming the second-youngest goalkeeper ever to play in the Italian top division at that time. In summer 2021, after seven seasons and more than 250 appearances for Milan, Donnarumma moved to French giants Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. At PSG, Donnarumma won a total of 10 major trophies, including a historic quadruple in the 2024–2025 season, and was also named the Best FIFA Goalkeeper for the 2024–2025 season and Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year.

In the 2025/26 season, Donnarumma joined Manchester City on a five-year contract for a £26 million fee. That same year, he was awarded the Yashin Trophy as the world’s best goalkeeper at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Donnarumma won the UEFA Euro 2020 with Italy after making his senior debut in 2016 and winning the Player of the Tournament award.

Elliot Anderson Religion

Elliot Junior Anderson is an English professional footballer whose specific religious affiliation is not publicly documented. However, he has shared that his late mother, Helen, had a deep faith, a strong love for God, and believed in heaven.

Anderson was born on November 6, 2002, in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, England, and he plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national team. He began playing organized football with Wallsend Boys’ Club before joining Newcastle United’s academy at the age of eight in 2010. From that point, he remained within Newcastle’s youth academy and later made his senior first-team debut in January 2021. In the 2022/23 season, he was loaned to Bristol Rovers in League Two before he returned to Newcastle. In July 2024, Anderson left Newcastle United to join Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of £35 million.

In July 2026, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Anderson transferred from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City. The deal was reported to involve a transfer fee of £116 million, which made him the most expensive English player in Premier League history at the time of the transfer. His move to Manchester City was described as a record-breaking signing for the club and a major milestone in English football transfer history.

James Trafford Religion

James Harrington Trafford is an English professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.

Trafford was born in Cockermouth, Cumbria, and raised on a farm near the Cumbrian town of Cockermouth. He initially played grassroots football as a midfielder for Cockermouth and Carlisle United before switching to goalkeeper at the age of nine. Subsequently, Trafford signed with the Manchester City Academy in August 2015 at age 12. He was later sent out on successive loan spells at Accrington Stanley in 2021 and Bolton Wanderers from January 2022 to 2023. In the summer of 2023, Trafford moved permanently to Burnley for an initial £15 million. The following 2024–25 season, he won the Championship Golden Glove after keeping a record-equalling 29 clean sheets, guiding Burnley back to top-flight promotion.

In July 2025, Manchester City triggered a £27 million buy-back clause to sign Trafford on a five-year deal. The official fee was £31 million. He started both domestic finals, capturing the EFL Cup and the FA Cup.

Iliman Ndiaye Religion

Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye is a professional footballer who is a devout, practicing Muslim. Ndiaye strictly observes the holy month of Ramadan by fasting from dawn until dusk, and his clubs have consistently accommodated his training and nutrition requirements during these periods.

Ndiaye plays as a winger for Manchester City and the Senegal national team. Previously, he played for several European clubs, including Sheffield United, Hyde United, Marseille, and Everton.

On 1 September 2026, Ndiaye signed for Manchester City for a reported base fee of £60 million. He made his debut for the club in a 1–0 home victory against Coventry City on 5 September.

Mateo Kovačić Religion

Mateo Kovačić is a professional footballer who is a devoutly practicing Roman Catholic and attends church every Sunday.

Kovačić was born on 6 May 1994 in Linz, Austria, to Bosnian Croat parents who had moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav wars. Kovačić rose to prominence at Dinamo Zagreb, where he became the youngest goalscorer in the Croatian top flight at age 16. He later moved to Inter Milan in January 2013 for a €14 million fee. In August 2015, Kovačić moved from Inter Milan to Real Madrid on a six-year contract, joining a squad that would win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018. After four years with Madrid, Kovačić joined Chelsea on a season-long loan in 2018 before making the move permanent for £40.3 million. He won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea before departing to Manchester City.

In June 2023, Kovačić left Chelsea and signed for Manchester City, becoming the club’s first summer signing of that year. Subsequently, Kovačić claimed his first Premier League title during his debut 2023–24 season.

Internationally, Kovačić has represented Croatia across four consecutive FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022, 2026) and three UEFA European Championships (2016, 2020, 2024).

Away from football, Kovačić married his longtime girlfriend Izabel Andrijanić in June 2017. In addition to his native Croatian, Kovačić is fluent in German, English, Italian, and Spanish.

Rayan Cherki Religion

Mathis Rayan Cherki is a French professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim.

Cherki was born on 17 August 2003 in Lyon, France, and is of Algerian and Italian descent, with his father Fabrice having Algerian-Jewish and Italian roots from Bari and his mother Abla being of Algerian descent from Biskra. He began playing football for AS Saint-Priest before joining Olympique Lyonnais’ academy in 2010 at age seven. Cherki spent nine years with the Lyon youth academy before making his senior debut in October 2019, at age 16, and soon after became the club’s youngest-ever Ligue 1 goalscorer at 16 years and 140 days. Subsequently, Cherki became the youngest-ever player to feature in a UEFA Champions League semi-final, playing against Bayern Munich.

In June 2025, Cherki left Lyon and signed for Manchester City on a five-year contract for an initial fee of €36.5 million plus €6 million in add-ons.

Rúben Dias Religion

Rúben dos Santos Gato Alves Dias is a Portuguese professional footballer who is a Christian, specifically identifying as Catholic.

Dias was born on 14 May 1997 in Amadora, Portugal, to parents João and Bernadete Alves Dias. At age nine, his father helped him join the local club C.F. Estrela da Amadora. Interestingly, Dias initially played as a striker before making an early switch to defense. In 2008, he joined the Benfica youth academy before moving to the Benfica B team in the Portuguese second division and was promoted to the first team in 2017.

In September 2020, at the age of 23, Dias left Benfica and signed for Manchester City for a reported fee of €68 million, becoming the second-highest fee for a Portuguese player leaving the domestic league. Dias won the Premier League and the Carabao Cup in his first season and was later named the Football Writers’ Men’s Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Season, and UEFA Champions League Defender of the Season. He remains under a long-term contract through June 2029.

Dias earned his senior international debut in 2018 and was included in the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He won the 2019 and 2025 UEFA Nations League with Portugal. He has been featured in Portugal’s squads for three FIFA World Cups (2018, 2022, and 2026) and two UEFA European Championships (2020 and 2024).

Nico González Religion

Nicolás González Iglesias is a Spanish professional footballer who has not publicly shared specific details about his religious beliefs.

González was born on January 3, 2002, in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain, and he plays as a defensive midfielder for Manchester City. His father is Fran González, the legendary former captain of Deportivo La Coruña who famously led the club to its historic La Liga title in 2000. Nico began his football journey with local Galician youth club Montañeros before moving to Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in 2013, shortly after his 11th birthday. Later on, he made his senior debut for Barcelona B and was later promoted to the first team for the 2021–22 season. González spent the 2022–23 campaign on loan at Valencia before he made a permanent move to Portuguese giants FC Porto in the summer of 2023.

On February 3, 2025, during the final hours of the winter transfer window, Manchester City completed the signing of Nico González on a four-and-a-half-year deal for a reported fee of £50 million (€60 million). He scored his first Champions League goal for the club against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in February 2025 and also scored the winning goal against Southampton to send City to the FA Cup Final, which they ultimately won alongside the EFL Cup.

Enzo Fernández Religion

Enzo Jeremías Fernández is an Argentine professional footballer who is a practicing Christian, and he identifies as a Catholic. Fernández has shared in interviews that he reads the Bible and prays every day.

Fernández plays as a midfielder for Manchester City and the Argentina national team. He previously played for football clubs River Plate, Defensa y Justicia, Benfica, and Chelsea, where he helped the latter win the UEFA Europa Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup. His €121 million transfer to Chelsea made him the most expensive signing in Premier League history at the time.

On 1 September 2026, Fernández completed a move to Manchester City on transfer deadline day, joining the club for a reported British-record-equalling £125 million fee and signing a contract through 2031. Enzo became the only player in football history to have two transfer fees exceeding €100 million, the most expensive player ever sold by Chelsea, the new club-record signing for Manchester City, and continued to break the record for the highest transfer fee for an Argentine player.

Matheus Nunes Religion

Matheus Luiz Nunes is a Portuguese professional footballer who identifies as a Christian.

Nunes was born on 27 August 1998 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is of Portuguese descent, having moved to Portugal with his mother, stepfather, and two younger sisters at the age of 12. Nunes started his career with Ericeirense and spent several years in the local Lisbon Football Association system before making the step to Estoril in mid-2018 at the age of 19, joining the second-tier LigaPro side. In January 2019, Sporting CP secured his signature for just €500,000, and in August 2022, Nunes moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League, joining on a five-year deal for a reported fee of £38 million, which made him Wolves’ record signing at that time.

In September 2023, Nunes left Wolves to join Manchester City on the last day of the transfer window, signing a five-year deal until 2028 for £53 million and becoming City’s fourth signing of summer 2023.

Nunes holds dual Brazilian-Portuguese citizenship and debuted for Portugal in October 2021 at the age of 23, after initially receiving a call from Brazil, the country of his birth, which he declined in favor of representing Portugal.

Marc Guéhi Religion

Addji Keaninkin Marc-Israel Guéhi is an English professional footballer who is a devout Christian. Guéhi is the son of a Christian church minister.

Guéhi was born on 13 July 2000 in Abidjan, capital of Côte d’Ivoire, and moved to London with his family at the age of one, settling in Grove Park in Lewisham, south London, where he began his football journey in local grassroots clubs before entering the Chelsea academy. Later on, Guéhi made his senior debut for Chelsea in September 2019 before joining Swansea City on loan in January 2020. Guéhi joined Crystal Palace on a permanent transfer in July 2021 for a reported £18 million. After being appointed club captain in 2024, he led Palace to historic success in 2025, lifting both the FA Cup (the club’s first major honor in its 120-year history) and the Community Shield.

In January 2026, Manchester City secured Guéhi on a five-and-a-half-year contract via a £20 million transfer, and thereafter, he picked up yet another FA Cup winner’s medal, becoming the fourth player in history to win the competition in consecutive seasons with different clubs.

Nico O’Reilly Religion

Nico O’Reilly is an English professional footballer who is Roman Catholic.

O’Reilly was born on 21 March 2005 in Manchester, England, and he plays as a left-back or midfielder for Manchester City and the England national team. O’Reilly was raised by his single mother, Holli O’Reilly, alongside his younger sister Nixie Bleu. He joined the Manchester City Academy at the age of eight and progressed through the various youth levels, from the U18s to the U23s. He was promoted to the U23 squad at the end of the 2021/22 season and signed his first professional contract with Manchester City in July 2022 alongside ten other players. While originally a midfielder, Guardiola successfully deployed his 1.93-meter frame on the left flank, a position that has allowed him to become a regular starter in certain competitions. He has become known as City’s “Mr. Versatile,” being used in multiple roles, including left-back, midfield, and deeper midfield positions.

O’Reilly signed a new long-term contract until 2030 in September 2025. He went on to make 53 senior appearances in 2025–26, winning the club’s Etihad Player of the Season award. He also won his first major trophy with the club in his second season, scoring a brace in the 2026 EFL Cup final.

Rayan Aït-Nouri Religion

Rayan Aït-Nouri is an Algerian professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim.

Rayan Aït-Nouri was born on June 6, 2001, in Montreuil, a suburb in the eastern part of Paris, France, to Algerian parents. He began his structured training in 2009 with AS Val de Fontenay, spent time at ASF Le Perreux 94, and moved to Paris FC in 2014 before leaving the capital. In 2016, Aït-Nouri joined the Angers academy at age 15 and signed his first professional contract at 16 and later moved to the Premier League with Wolves initially on loan before making it permanent for roughly £15 million.

On June 9, 2025, Manchester City secured Aït-Nouri on a five-year contract through 2030 for a total package of £36.3 million. Signed just in time for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, he became Guardiola’s first specialist left-back signing since 2019. He captured both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup during his debut 2025–26 season at the Etihad Stadium.

Phil Foden Religion

Philip Walter Foden is an English professional footballer who is a Christian and reportedly of the Catholic faith.

Foden grew up in Stockport, just south of Manchester, and was a lifelong Manchester City supporter who joined the club’s academy at the age of eight, having previously played for grassroots club Reddish Vulcans. He progressed through the U18s and U23s, being an FA Youth Cup final runner-up in the 2016/17 season. Guardiola first included 16-year-old Foden on the bench against Celtic in December 2016. In May 2018, Foden became the youngest player ever to receive a Premier League winner’s medal. By 2019, he became City’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League.

In 2023–24, Foden was named Premier League Player of the Season and PFA Players’ Player of the Year after scoring 19 league goals, helping City secure a fourth consecutive title, and in the 2025–26 club campaign, he crossed the monumental milestone of 100 Premier League goal involvements for Manchester City, becoming the first academy player to achieve this feat.

At the international level, Foden made his debut for the England U17 team in 2017 and scored in the final of the European Championships, where the Young Lions lost to Spain on penalties, and he went on to win the 2017 UEFA U17 Championship and the Under-17 World Cup in India, and he has represented England at the 2020 European Championships, the 2022 World Cup, and the UEFA Euro 2024.

Foden and his long-time girlfriend Rebecca Cooke have three children together. Foden’s mother, Claire Rowlands, was fined £100 at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court in January 2024 for being drunk and disorderly.

Josko Gvardiol Religion

Joško Gvardiol is a Croatian professional footballer who is a Roman Catholic.

Gvardiol was born on 23 January 2002 in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and began playing football at the age of seven with local club NK Tresnjevka. At the age of eight, he left Tresnjevka to join Dinamo Zagreb, where he made his senior debut at age 17 and became a regular the following year, contributing to two Croatian league titles, one Croatian Cup, and one Croatian Super Cup. In July 2021, Bundesliga club RB Leipzig secured his transfer for a fee of €19 million and later won back-to-back DFB-Pokal (German Cup) titles in 2022 and 2023.

In August 2023, Gvardiol left RB Leipzig to sign for Manchester City, joining the English club on a long-term contract for a reported fee of €90 million, which made him the most expensive Croatian footballer in history and one of the most expensive defenders in the Premier League. At Manchester City, he has been used mainly as a center-back but also as a left-back. In June 2026, he committed his long-term future to the club by signing a contract extension keeping him at City until 2031.

Abdukodir Khusanov Religion

Abdukodir Khikmatzhon ugli Khusanov is an Uzbek professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim.

Khusanov was born on 29 February 2004 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and he plays as a center-back or right-back for Manchester City and the Uzbekistan national team. He began playing football at the age of five, first at Toshkuch and later at the Bunyodkor academy in Tashkent. At 17, he moved to Belarusian club Energetik-BGU Minsk, and in July 2023, he moved to French Ligue 1 side RC Lens, becoming the first Uzbek to play in Ligue 1.

After one season in France, Manchester City signed Khusanov in January 2025 on a contract until 2029 in a transfer worth about €40 million, making him the first Uzbek player in English Premier League history. Under Pep Guardiola, he won the domestic double (Carabao Cup and FA Cup).

Erling Haaland Religion

Erling Braut Haaland is a Norwegian professional footballer who has never publicly declared his religion in any detail.

Haaland was born on 21 July 2000 in Leeds, England, and he plays as a striker for Manchester City and the Norway national team. Haaland was born while his father, Alf-Inge Haaland, was playing for Leeds United in the Premier League, and his family later returned to Norway, where he grew up in Bryne. He progressed through the youth ranks of Bryne FK before joining Molde in 2016. His form at Molde led to a move to Red Bull Salzburg in January 2019, and in the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, Haaland became the first teenager to score a first-half hat-trick on his tournament debut and the first to score in five consecutive matches. In January 2020, Haaland joined Borussia Dortmund for €20 million and scored a hat-trick within 23 minutes of his debut. He ended his time with Dortmund, scoring a staggering 86 goals in 89 appearances over two and a half seasons and also winning the 2021 DFB-Pokal and the Bundesliga Player of the Season award.

In the summer of 2022, Haaland signed for Manchester City for a fee of €60 million. In his debut season, he shattered the Premier League single-season record by scoring 36 goals to secure a historic continental treble. After signing a massive contract extension tying him to the Etihad until 2034, he continued his dominance. In the 2025–26 season, Haaland secured his third Premier League Golden Boot with 27 goals in 35 appearances, leading City to domestic silverware.

Haaland debuted internationally for Norway in September 2019. By 2024, he had become Norway’s all-time leading goalscorer and was formally named captain of the national team. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Haaland successfully broke Norway’s 28-year tournament drought by blasting 16 goals in just 8 qualification matches to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In his debut World Cup campaign, he carried Norway to their best-ever historical finish, reaching the quarter-finals. He dominated the tournament charts by scoring 7 goals in 5 games, including braces against Iraq, Senegal, and Brazil, before a narrow extra-time exit to England.

Jérémy Doku Religion

Jérémy Baffour Doku is a Belgian professional footballer who is a devout Christian.

Doku was born on 27 May 2002 in Antwerp, Belgium, to Ghanaian parents and began at local clubs in Antwerp and joined Anderlecht’s youth academy at the age of 10. Doku made his senior debut for Anderlecht on 25 November 2018, when he was 16 years old, becoming one of the club’s youngest-ever players. In October 2020, French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais signed the 18-year-old winger for a club-record fee of €26 million, where he played 92 matches across three seasons, scoring 12 goals and recording 12 assists, helping the team reach the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2022.

In August 2023, Manchester City signed Doku for €65 million on a five-year contract. He won the Premier League title in his debut season. As of July 2026, Doku has made 88 appearances for City, with 11 goals, though he faced some injury challenges in the 2024/25 campaign.

Doku and Shireen Raymond reportedly married in 2025, and the couple welcomed their first child in 2026. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Doku temporarily left Belgium’s training camp to attend his son’s birth.

Antoine Semenyo Religion

Antoine Selorm Semenyo is a professional footballer who is a devout Christian.

Semenyo was born on 7 January 2000 in London, England, to Ghanaian parents Larry and Dela. Semenyo faced devastating rejections after trials with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Millwall, and Crystal Palace before eventually finding a route into professional football. Subsequently, Semenyo joined Bristol City’s youth system and was promoted to the senior squad in 2017. Before establishing himself at Bristol City, he spent time on loan at Bath City, Newport County, and Sunderland before returning to Bristol City to become a regular senior player. In January 2023, Semenyo signed for AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League for a reported fee of £10 million.

On 9 January 2026, Manchester City completed a blockbuster £64 million transfer to bring Semenyo to the Etihad Stadium. He proved instrumental in City’s domestic double, winning the EFL Cup and famously scoring the only goal of the match to win the FA Cup Final against Chelsea.

Internationally, Semenyo made his international debut for Ghana in 2022. He was selected for the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and 2026 and the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.