Atlético Madrid is currently in its 124th season overall, marking its 25th consecutive year in La Liga. In addition to the domestic league, the club is competing in the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa de España, and the UEFA Champions League. Among the club’s historic achievements, Atlético Madrid has won 11 La Liga titles, finished as runners-up in the UEFA Champions League three times, and captured both the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup three times each.
Beyond their collective achievements on the pitch, the team boasts an overwhelmingly Christian presence, with over 85% of the players identifying with the faith. This strong religious identity is represented by core figures such as Julián Álvarez, Ademola Lookman, Alexander Sørloth, Koke, and many more others. While the vast majority of the first-team roster shares Christian beliefs, the squad maintains an internal culture of profound unity and mutual respect alongside athletes of other religious traditions.
Below are the players in Atlético Madrid and their religious beliefs. If you find any mistake on any player we cover, please contact us for correction.
Table of Contents
Jan Oblak Religion
Jan Oblak is a Slovenian professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Jan Oblak plays as a goalkeeper for Atlético Madrid and captains the Slovenia national team. Oblak signed for Portuguese club Benfica at the age of 17 and was part of the team that won the domestic treble in the 2013–14 season. In 2014 he moved to Atlético Madrid for a fee of €16 million, becoming La Liga’s most expensive goalkeeper at the time. During the 2015-16 season, Oblak won the Zamora Trophy with a goals conceded per game ratio of 0.47, matching the La Liga record for the lowest such ratio, and helped Atlético Madrid reach the UEFA Champions League final.
Among his individual accolades are eight Slovenian Footballer of the Year awards, La Liga Goalkeeper of the Season, and recognition in global rankings, such as being nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or Yashin Trophy. In the 2024-25 season, he won the Zamora Trophy for a sixth time.
Oblak was born to a Slovenian father, Matjaž Oblak, and a Bosnian Serb mother, Stojanka Majkić. His older sister, Teja Oblak, is a professional basketball player who has represented the Slovenian national team and competed for clubs including Galatasaray.
José María Giménez Religion
José María Giménez is a Uruguayan professional footballer who is a practicing Christian.
José María Giménez was born on January 20, 1995, in Toledo, in the Canelones Department of Uruguay. He holds Uruguayan nationality by birth and acquired Spanish citizenship in July 2016, obtaining dual nationality, which allowed him to no longer occupy a non-EU player slot at Atlético Madrid. Giménez began his career at Danubio in Uruguay before joining Atlético Madrid in 2013 at age 18.
In 2014, he helped Atlético Madrid win the La Liga and was part of the squad that won the UEFA Europa League in 2018. He helped Atlético Madrid win another La Liga title in 2018. Giménez has spent over a decade and played more than 350 games for Atlético Madrid.
José María Giménez is married to Regina Iafolla. Together, they have two sons. Giménez was once suspended for three matches and fined $12,000 following the large-scale confrontation between Uruguay players and opposing fans after the Copa América semi-final match, where Uruguay lost 0-1 to Colombia in 2018.
Marcos Llorente Religion
Marcos Llorente is a Spanish professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Marcos Llorente Moreno plays as a midfielder or right-back for Atlético Madrid and the Spain national team. He is a product of the Real Madrid youth academy. In the 2015–16 season, he was promoted to the Real Madrid first team and made his La Liga debut. For the 2016–17 season, Llorente was loaned to Deportivo Alavés. He won the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup with Real Madrid before joining Atlético Madrid in June 2019 for a reported €40 million fee.
During the 2019–20 season, Llorente scored a memorable extra-time brace in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 against Liverpool, helping secure a 4–2 aggregate victory. He also played a key role in Atlético’s 2020–21 La Liga title triumph, contributing 13 goals and 12 assists across all competitions that season.
Llorente won the FIFA World Cup with the Spain national team in 2026.
Thomas Lemar Religion
Thomas Lemar is a French professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Thomas Benoît Lemar was born in Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe, to a Nigerian father and a Guadeloupian mother. He began his senior career at Caen in 2013. In July 2015, he joined AS Monaco and won the 2016-17 Ligue 1 title with the team. Lemar’s €72 million move to Atlético Madrid in August 2018 made him the club’s most expensive signing at the time. He won the UEFA Super Cup in his debut season and the 2020-21 La Liga champion title with the team.
Persistent injuries hampered his 2022–25 seasons, leading to a season-long loan to Girona in July 2025, where Atlético agreed to split his €3.3 million salary to aid his resurgence and provide regular playing time.
Rodri Mendoza Religion
Rodrigo Mendoza is a Spanish professional footballer who is a devout Christian.
Rodrigo Mendoza Martínez-Moyá was born on 15 March 2005 in Molina de Segura, a municipality in the Region of Murcia, Spain. He plays as a midfielder for Atlético Madrid. In 2019, he joined the youth system of Elche and was subsequently promoted from the Elche U19 youth team to the first team in 2023. In February 2026, Mendoza joined Atlético Madrid, signing a contract with the club until 2031. He made his debut in a Copa del Rey quarter-final match where Atlético Madrid defeated Real Betis 5-0 away.
Arnau Ortiz Religion
Arnau Ortiz is a Spanish professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Arnau Ortiz Sánchez was born on 29 October 2001 in Figueres, Girona, Spain. Ortiz began his youth career with his hometown club, UE Figueres, where he played from 2007 until 2019. At age 17, he left Figueres to join Girona, where he was immediately assigned to their farm team, CF Peralada, in the Tercera División to begin his senior career. After Girona’s link with Peralada ended, he joined Girona B for the 2021–22 campaign. To gain further experience, Ortiz embarked on a series of loans across Spanish football.
In July 2024, Ortiz moved abroad to join Polish club Śląsk Wrocław for the 2024–25 season. He returned to Spain in September 2025 and signed with Atlético Madrid for a reported €300,000 fee. He was assigned to the reserve side, Atlético Madrileño, and subsequently finished as the top scorer of the Primera Federación with 23 goals in 36 appearances.
Following a standout 2026 pre-season where he scored against Manchester United and Getafe, manager Diego Simeone officially promoted Ortiz to the Atlético Madrid first team in August 2026. He was given the number 16 jersey and made his La Liga debut as a starter against Málaga.
Johnny Cardoso Religion
Johnny Cardoso is an American professional soccer player who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Johnny Cardoso was born on September 20, 2001, in Denville, New Jersey, United States. Cardoso moved to Brazil with his parents when he was three months old. At the age of 13, he joined the youth academy of Brazilian club Internacional, making his senior debut in 2020. In the winter transfer window of the 2023/24 season, Cardoso moved to Real Betis for a fee of €6 million. He started in the UEFA Europa Conference League final, becoming the first United States men’s national soccer team player to start in a European final.
In July 2025, Cardoso joined Atlético Madrid for a reported €30 million fee and signed a five-year contract until 2030. A month later, he made his debut in the club’s season-opening La Liga match against Espanyol. On February 24, 2026, he scored his first goal for the club in a 4–1 win over Club Brugge in the Champions League knockout play-offs.
Internationally, Cardoso won the CONCACAF Nations League title with the United States men’s national team in both 2023 and 2024.
Dávid Hancko Religion
Dávid Hancko is a Slovak professional footballer who has not publicly discussed his specific religious beliefs.
Dávid Hancko plays as a centre-back or left-back for Atlético Madrid and the Slovakia national team. began his senior professional career with MŠK Žilina in Slovakia, winning the Slovak Super Liga title in the 2016–17 season. In 2018, he joined Serie A club Fiorentina before being loaned to Czech side Sparta Prague, which became permanent in 2021. In August 2022, Hancko joined Eredivisie club Feyenoord for €6 million, winning the 2022–23 Eredivisie title, the 2023–24 KNVB Cup, and the 2024 Johan Cruyff Shield.
Hancko moved to Atlético Madrid in July 2025 on a five-year contract for €30 million, becoming the first Slovak player in the club’s history. Later that year, on 9 December, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 away win over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League league phase.
Koke Religion
Koke is a Spanish professional footballer who was raised in the Roman Catholic faith.
Jorge Resurrección Merodio was born on 8 January 1992 in Madrid, Spain. He plays as a midfielder for and serves as captain of Atlético Madrid. Koke began his career in the Atlético Madrid youth academy. He made his first-team debut on September 20, 2009, and has won two UEFA Europa League titles and two La Liga championships with the club.
Koke is the longest-serving current player and the record appearance maker for Atlético Madrid since making his debut with the first team in 2009. He has spent his entire professional career with the club. He holds the record for the most official appearances in Atlético Madrid history, surpassing 740 matches.
Marc Pubill Religion
Marc Pubill is a Spanish professional footballer who is a devout Christian.
Marc Pubill Pagès was born on 20 June 2003 in Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain. He plays as a right-back or centre-back for Atlético Madrid and the Spain national team. Previously, he played for Levante and Almería. In July 2025, Pubill signed a five-year contract with Atlético Madrid for €15 million. On December 13, 2025, he started for Atlético Madrid in the 16th round of La Liga, providing an assist for Antoine Griezmann’s goal in a 2-1 win over Valencia. In January 2026, Pubill was voted Atlético Madrid’s Player of the Month for December, and in February 2026, he was voted the club’s Player of the Month for January.
Lee Kang-in Religion
Lee Kang-in is a South Korean professional footballer who does not currently practice a religion. He received an infant baptism at Ganseok 4-dong Catholic Church when he was young.
Lee Kang-in plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Atlético Madrid and the South Korea national team. Lee’s professional journey includes a breakthrough at Valencia, where he became the youngest South Korean to play in the UEFA Champions League in 2019, followed by a transfer to RCD Mallorca in 2021 ahead of the 2021–22 La Liga season. In 2023, Lee Kang-in joined Paris Saint-Germain. With PSG, he won three Ligue 1 titles and two Coupes de France, including two UEFA Champions League titles back-to-back in 2025 and 2026, with the former being part of a continental treble.
In July 2026, Lee signed a five-year contract with Atlético Madrid till June 2031. The deal was worth approximately €40 million, with €35 million fixed plus €5 million in add-ons. He scored a stunning opening goal and earned match MVP honors on his official Atlético Madrid debut as Atlético beat Málaga 2-0 in their La Liga season opener.
Julián Alvarez Religion
Julián Alvarez is an Argentine professional footballer who is a Christian and is widely believed to follow the Roman Catholic faith.
Julián Alvarez was born on 31 January 2000 in Calchín, Córdoba Province, Argentina. His father, Gustavo, worked in a grain factory, while his mother, Mariana, was a kindergarten teacher. Alvarez is a product of the Club Atlético River Plate youth academy, having been promoted to the first team in 2018. In the 2021 season, he became the top scorer in the Argentine Primera División with 18 goals. In January 2022, he joined Manchester City for an initial £14.5 million, remaining on loan at River Plate until July of that year to complete their season. During his two seasons at Manchester City from 2022 to 2024, Alvarez won the treble with the club.
In August 2024, seeking more playing time as a starter, he joined Atlético Madrid on a six-year contract for a club-record €95 million transfer fee (£81.5 million), becoming the highest departure fee in Premier League history at the time. A month later, in September, he scored his first goal for the club in the 90th minute of a 3–0 victory over Valencia.
Internationally, Alvarez has won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América with Argentina.
In June 2026, after Julián Alvarez publicly expressed his desire to transfer to Barcelona, Atlético Madrid’s director poured cold water on the move. He stated that their refusal to sell Alvarez was indefinite and that the forward would not be sold even for €200 million. Later, on August 10, 2026, AS reported that Atlético Madrid demanded Alvarez apologize before returning to training.
Pablo Barrios Religion
Pablo Barrios is a Spanish professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Pablo Barrios Rivas plays as a midfielder for Atlético Madrid and the Spain national team. Born in Madrid, Barrios began his youth career at local club Escuela Deportiva Moratalaz before joining Real Madrid’s academy in 2011. He then moved to the Atlético Madrid youth system in 2017. Five years later, on 29 October 2022, Barrios made his first-team debut for Atlético Madrid and scored his first senior goal in the second round of the Copa del Rey on 23 December of the same year.
In January 2023, he renewed his contract with Atlético until 2028, with a release clause of €100 million. After scoring his first league goal on 6 April 2025, Barrios renewed his contract with Atlético until 2030. In the same month, he reached the 100-appearance milestone for Atlético, provided an assist, and finished the league season in third place with the team.
Giuliano Simeone Religion
Giuliano Simeone is an Argentine professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Giuliano Simeone Baldini was born on 18 December 2002 in Rome, Italy, to Argentine former professional footballer Diego Simeone and his wife Carolina Baldini. Simeone is a product of the River Plate youth academy. In September 2019, he moved to join Atlético Madrid’s youth academy. In January 2021, Simeone was promoted to Atlético Madrid B and made his professional league debut in the 2020-21 Segunda División B, scoring his first goal. He signed his first professional contract extension until 2028 in July 2023.
To gain experience, he was loaned to Segunda División side Real Zaragoza for the 2022–23 season before another loan to Deportivo Alavés in La Liga for 2023–24. Upon returning to Atlético for the 2024–25 season, in November 2024, Simeone scored his first goal for Atlético Madrid. On 15 January 2026, Simeone extended his contract with Atlético Madrid until 30 June 2030.
Simeone is the son of his current manager at Atlético Madrid, Diego. His two older brothers are also professional footballers.
Alexander Sørloth Religion
Alexander Sørloth is a Norwegian professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Alexander Sørloth plays as a striker for Atlético Madrid and the Norway national team. Sørloth started his career at Rosenborg before spending a loan period at Bodø/Glimt in 2015. Following this, he signed with Dutch club Groningen, followed by a move to Danish side FC Midtjylland in 2017. In 2018, he transferred to English Premier League club Crystal Palace for £9 million but struggled with injuries and form before being loaned to Gent in Belgium and Trabzonspor in Turkey. He moved to RB Leipzig in Germany in 2020 and later spent two seasons on loan at Real Sociedad.
Sørloth then transferred to Villarreal in July 2023 for €10 million before joining Atlético Madrid in August 2024 for €32 million on a five-year contract. In the same month, he made his debut for Atlético and scored his debut goal. In May 2024, he became the 11th player in history to score a four-goal haul in an official match against Real Madrid.
On 24 February 2026, he scored his first Champions League hat-trick in a 4–1 win over Club Brugge, securing his club’s qualification to the round of 16.
Sørloth is the son of former Rosenborg player and Norwegian international Gøran Sørloth.
Cristian Romero Religion
Cristian Romero is an Argentine professional footballer who is a practicing Roman Catholic.
Cristian Romero is considered one of the world’s best center-backs, and he has played for the football clubs Belgrano (2016–2018), Genoa (2018–2019), Juventus (2019–2020), Atalanta (2020–2021), Tottenham Hotspur (2021–2026), and Atlético Madrid (2026–).
In August 2026, Romero signed for Atlético Madrid on a five-year contract. The transfer fee was reportedly £34.2 million. He leaves London after five seasons, having led Spurs to UEFA Europa League glory in 2025.
Internationally, Romero has won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América with the Argentina national team. He currently serves as the main captain for the Argentina national team, having been officially handed the armband following Lionel Messi’s international retirement in August 2026.
Álex Baena Religion
Álex Baena is a Spanish professional footballer who is publicly identified as Christian, though he keeps his religious beliefs private.
Álex Baena plays as a left midfielder or attacking midfielder for Atlético Madrid and the Spain national team. Previously, he played for Villarreal and was loaned to Girona for the 2021–22 season in the Segunda División. At Girona, he helped the club win the promotion playoffs to reach La Liga. In July 2025, Baena joined Atlético Madrid for a transfer fee of €50 million, signing a five-year contract. Later that year, on 27 October, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 away win over Real Betis. On 29 August 2026, Baena scored a brilliant first-half brace to help Atlético Madrid secure a 3-1 away win against Sevilla in La Liga.
At the international level, Baena has won the UEFA European Championship in 2024, the Olympic Games gold medal in 2024, and the FIFA World Cup in 2026 with the Spain national football team.
Alejandro Grimaldo Religion
Alejandro Grimaldo is a Spanish professional footballer who has not publicly shared his personal religious affiliation.
Alejandro Grimaldo plays as a left wing-back for Atlético Madrid and the Spain national team. He began his career in the youth academy of Valencia before joining FC Barcelona’s La Masia academy in 2008 at age 13. From the 2011-12 season to the first half of the 2015-16 season, Grimaldo played for FC Barcelona B, competing in the Spanish second and third divisions. He joined Benfica on a free transfer in 2016, winning the Primeira Liga champion title four times before making a move to Germany to join Bundesliga club Bayer 04 Leverkusen as a free agent. At Leverkusen, he became the Bundesliga top assist provider with 15 assists and helped the team win its first Bundesliga title in club history with an undefeated league record.
In June 2026, Grimaldo signed for Atlético Madrid on a four-year contract worth £20 million plus add-ons. On 19 August 2026, he made his La Liga debut for Atlético Madrid in a 2-0 victory against Málaga.
Internationally, Grimaldo won the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the Spain national team.
Ademola Lookman Religion
Ademola Lookman is a Nigerian professional footballer who is a practicing Christian. He openly acknowledges God in public statements.
Ademola Olajade Alade Aylola Lookman was born on 20 October 1997 in Wandsworth, Greater London, to Nigerian parents who had immigrated to the United Kingdom in the mid-1990s. Lookman plays as a winger or second striker for Atlético Madrid and the Nigeria national team. He made his senior debut in 2015, playing as a forward for Charlton Athletic of the Championship. In January 2017, he transferred to Everton for £11 million before being loaned to RB Leipzig in 2018, a move that became permanent in 2019 for £22.5 million. Lookman joined Atalanta on a permanent transfer in August 2022. In May 2024, he scored a hat-trick to help Atalanta win the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League and subsequently being named the African Footballer of the Year.
In February 2026, Lookman joined Atlético Madrid for a reported deal of £30.3 million, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract with the club. Four days later, he made his debut, scoring a goal in a 5–0 away win over Real Betis in the Copa del Rey. On 29 August 2026, Lookman scored in the 26th minute to help Atlético Madrid secure a 3-1 away victory against Sevilla.
In December 2024, Lookman was named the African Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football, becoming the seventh Nigerian to win the award.
Morten Hjulmand Religion
Morten Hjulmand is a Danish professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Morten Blom Due Hjulmand plays as a defensive midfielder for Atlético Madrid and the Denmark national team. He previously played for football clubs Admira Wacker, Lecce, and Sporting CP, winning the 2023–24 Primeira Liga title during his time in Portugal. In July 2026, Hjulmand joined Atlético Madrid, signing a five-year contract until 30 June 2031. The transfer fee was reported to be €40 million.
Carlos Martín Religion
Carlos Martín is a Spanish professional footballer who has not publicly shared details about his specific religious beliefs.
Carlos Martín Domínguez plays as a forward for Atlético Madrid. He is a product of the Atlético Madrid youth academy, having joined their youth setup in 2008. He made his first-team debut for Atlético on 20 November 2021. Prior to his full-time integration with the senior squad in 2023, he gained experience on loan, first with CD Mirandés in the Segunda División and then with Deportivo Alavés in La Liga for the 2024–25 campaign. He returned to Atlético Madrid in June 2025 and renewed his contract with Atlético Madrid until 2029.
On 2 January 2026, Martín was once again loaned out to fellow La Liga side Rayo Vallecano until the end of the 2025–26 season. He headed back to Atlético Madrid this summer for the 2026–27 campaign.
Robin Le Normand Religion
Robin Le Normand is a Spanish professional footballer who has not publicly shared information about his specific religious beliefs.
Robin Le Normand was born on November 11, 1996, in Pabu, France, to French parents Philippe and Corinne. He started his professional career in France at Brest, where he made one first-team appearance, before joining Spanish side Real Sociedad in 2016. During his time at Real Sociedad, he helped the club win the Copa del Rey in 2021 and was named Real Sociedad’s Player of the Season for the 2021–22 campaign.
In July 2024, Le Normand signed with Atlético Madrid for a fixed fee of €34.5 million plus €5 million in add-ons. He scored his first goal for Atlético in May 2025 and netted against Real Madrid in La Liga Matchday 7 on September 27, 2025. Two months later, in November, Le Normand suffered a severe injury to the capsule of his left knee joint during a UEFA Champions League match against Union Saint-Gilloise.
