Borussia Dortmund has a diverse squad that includes players from various religious backgrounds, notably players who are openly Christian and Muslim. Among the many Christian players, midfielder Felix Nmecha is one of the most prominent openly Christian players in the current squad alongside Carney Chukwuemeka. Notwithstanding, the squad also features prominent Muslim players such as Guinean striker Serhou Guirassy, who is a practicing Muslim, and the club captain, Emre Can, who is of Turkish descent and a practicing Muslim.
Scroll down to read the full breakdown of Borussia Dortmund players and their religious beliefs. If there’s any misinformation about a player’s beliefs, do well to contact us so it can be corrected.
Table of Contents
Gregor Kobel Religion
Gregor Kobel is a Swiss professional footballer who has not publicly shared his religious affiliation. Gregor Kobel was born on 6 December 1997 in Zurich, Switzerland. He is the son of a former professional top-tier ice hockey player. Kobel began playing youth football for FC Seefeld Zurich, a local club in Zurich, before joining Grasshopper Club Zurich’s youth system. In the summer of 2014, at 16 years old, Kobel moved from Switzerland to Germany to join the youth academy of TSG Hoffenheim. He made his first-team debut for Hoffenheim in 2017 and was later loaned to fellow Bundesliga side FC Augsburg in January 2019. From Augsburg, he then joined VfB Stuttgart on a season-long loan before he was signed permanently in July 2020.
In early 2021, Kobel signed a five-year contract with Borussia Dortmund for €15 million and has since become Dortmund’s number one goalkeeper.
Kobel has represented Switzerland from the U15 level to U21 before making his senior debut in 2021. Since making his debut, Kobel was part of Switzerland’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Yan Couto Religion
Yan Bueno Couto is a Brazilian professional footballer whose religion is not publicly known. Couto was born on June 3, 2002, in Curitiba, Brazil, and he plays as a right-back or right wing-back for Dortmund and the Brazil national team. When Couto was ten years old, he began playing for the youth academy of Coritiba, spending 8 years before he was transferred to Premier League club Manchester City in 2020. Man City agreed to a base transfer fee of €6 million. He spent five years without playing a single competitive first-team match for the senior English side. During this time, Couto has had loan spells across different European clubs, including Girona (2020–2021), SC Braga (2021–2022), and Return to Girona (2022–2024).
In late 2024, he joined Borussia Dortmund on loan for the 2024–25 season before Dortmund triggered his €30 million release clause.
On the international side, Couto won the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup with Brazil.
Waldemar Anton Religion
Waldemar Anton is a German professional footballer who is a practicing Christian. Anton was born as Vladimir Aleksandrovich Riptsov-Anton on 20 July 1996 in Olmaliq, Uzbekistan. His parents are Russian Germans, and they moved with him to Hanover, Germany, in 1998 when he was two years old. Anton began his career playing for Mühlenberger SV before he was discovered by Hannover 96’s youth academy at the age of 12 and joined them in 2007. He then made his professional debut in 2015 and remained with Hannover 96 through the club’s 2017 Bundesliga 2 title win and two subsequent Bundesliga seasons, even after the club’s relegation in 2018.
In July 2020, Anton signed a four-year contract with VfB Stuttgart for a reported fee of €3.6 million. He spent four years with the club before he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2024. Dortmund activated a €22.5 million release clause to sign him on a four-year contract.
Nico Schlotterbeck Religion
Nico Cédric Schlotterbeck is a German professional footballer whose religion is not publicly known. Schlotterbeck was born on 1 December 1999 in Waiblingen, Germany. Both his older brother Keven and his uncle Niels Schlotterbeck played football at high levels. Schlotterbeck started playing football at SC Weinstadt between 2005 and 2007. From 2007 to 2014, he played for Stuttgarter Kickers, but at 15 he was not accepted into the U16 team and had to leave the club. He took a step back and played for VfR Aalen for one year, then joined Karlsruher SC. In summer 2017, he moved to SC Freiburg, though he first played in their U19 team and then made his senior Bundesliga debut later. After that, he spent the 2020–21 season on loan at 1. FC Union Berlin before rejoining Freiburg for the 2021–22 season.
In May 2022, Schlotterbeck signed with Borussia Dortmund on a five-year contract starting from the 2022–23 season, for a reported €25 million. He later signed a contract extension keeping him at the club until June 30, 2031.
Schlotterbeck won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship with Germany in 2021 before making his senior debut in March 2022 and has since represented Germany at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ramy Bensebaini Religion
Amir Selmane Rami Bensebaini is an Algerian professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim. Bensebaini was born on 16 April 1995 in Constantine, Algeria, and is of Algerian nationality. He began his football career in Algeria, playing for Paradou AC at age 12 before making his senior debut in 2013. Bensebaini had brief trials with FC Porto and Arsenal before Paradou sent him on loan to Belgian Pro League club Lierse SK in 2014. The following year, he moved to French Ligue 1 side Montpellier HSC on another loan spell. In 2016, he moved to France and joined Stade Rennais in Ligue 1, where he helped secure the Coupe de France title in 2019 by scoring in the penalty shoot-out victory over Paris Saint-Germain. He spent three seasons with the club before making a move to Borussia Mönchengladbach for about €8 million.
In the summer of 2023, Bensebaini signed with Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer. He signed a four-year contract and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in his debut year.
Jobe Bellingham Religion
Jobe Samuel Patrick Bellingham is an English professional footballer who does not publicly practice any specific religion. Jobe Bellingham was born on 23 September 2005 in Stourbridge, in the West Midlands of England, and he is the younger brother of Jude Bellingham. His father, Mark Bellingham, was both a prolific non-league footballer and a sergeant in the West Midlands Police. Jobe began his professional career with Birmingham City’s academy before making his senior debut on 8 January 2022 at the age of 16 years and 107 days and became the club’s second-youngest debutant after his brother Jude. In the summer of 2023, Bellingham left Birmingham City to join fellow Championship club Sunderland. In the 2024/25 season he was instrumental in Sunderland’s promotion to the Premier League and was awarded both the club’s Young Player of the Season and a place in the EFL Championship Team of the Season.
In June 2025 Bellingham signed for Borussia Dortmund, moving from Sunderland to the German Bundesliga and following the earlier path of his brother Jude, who had played for Dortmund between 2020 and 2023 before transferring to Real Madrid. Dortmund signed him for £27.8 million plus £4.2 million in add-ons. The transfer fee also made Bellingham the second most expensive signing in Dortmund’s history, excluding add-ons, behind Ousmane Dembélé.
Jobe Bellingham is of Irish descent through his father and Jamaican descent through his mother, Denise.
Felix Nmecha Religion
Felix Kalu Nmecha is a German professional footballer who is a devout, practicing Christian. Nmecha was born on 10 October 2000 in Hamburg, Germany, to a German mother and a Nigerian father. He is the younger brother of Lukas Nmecha, who is also a professional footballer, and the family moved to England when Felix was six years old. Shortly after the move, both Felix and his older brother, Lukas, were scouted and joined the prestigious Manchester City youth academy. He was named in the senior Manchester City squad at the age of 19 and made his first-team debut later.
In the summer of 2021, Nmecha moved back to Germany, signing with VfL Wolfsburg. He spent two full seasons at Wolfsburg before Dortmund acquired him in July 2023 on a five-year contract. The move involved a reported transfer fee of approximately €30 million.
Nmecha was eligible to represent Germany, England, and Nigeria at the international stage, but he committed to Germany.
Serhou Guirassy Religion
Serhou Yadaly Guirassy is a Guinean professional footballer who is a devout Muslim. Guirassy was born on 12 March 1996 in Arles, in southern France, to parents of Guinean origin. He began his football development in local youth clubs, including USM Montargis and J3 Amilly, before joining the professional academy of Laval in 2011. From Laval, he then played for Lille, 1. FC Köln, Amiens, and Rennes. In 2022, he moved to VfB Stuttgart on an initial loan that became permanent, where he enjoyed his breakthrough, notably scoring a club-record 28 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances during the 2023–24 season and earning Bundesliga Player of the Month awards for September 2023, March 2024, and February 2025 while guiding Stuttgart to second place.
In July 2024, Guirassy left Stuttgart for Borussia Dortmund, who triggered a release clause to sign him for €18 million. At Dortmund, he became their top scorer in a single Champions League campaign with 13 goals in 2024–25.
Guirassy holds dual French-Guinean nationality.
Maximilian Beier Religion
Maximilian Beier is a German professional footballer whose religion is not publicly known. Beier was born on 17 October 2002 in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany, and he plays as a forward or winger for Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team. He began playing football locally at ESV Kirchmöser and Brandenburger SC Süd 05 before making his move to Hoffenheim in 2018. He finished as the top scorer in the U17 Bundesliga South/Southwest division and then made his Bundesliga debut for Hoffenheim on 8 February 2020, becoming the club’s youngest-ever Bundesliga player at 17 years, three months, and 22 days. Subsequently, he was loaned to Hannover 96 in the German second division for two seasons from the summer of 2021.
In August 2024, Beier signed a five-year contract with Borussia Dortmund for a reported €28.5 million fee. He scored 10 goals in his debut season and has since helped BVB secure a runner-up finish in the 2025/26 seasons.
Carney Chukwuemeka Religion
Carney Chibueze Chukwuemeka is an Austrian professional footballer who is a practicing Christian. Chukwuemeka was born on 20 October 2003 in Eisenstadt, Austria, to Nigerian parents who had moved to the UK before his birth. He was raised in Northampton, England, and developed as a footballer in the English youth system, becoming a prominent England youth international before switching to represent Austria at the senior level in 2026. Chukwuemeka was educated at St. James Church of England Primary School and Northampton School for Boys. He began his formal development at Northampton Town Academy and then left Northampton Town to join Aston Villa in 2016. Five years later, he made his senior debut for Aston Villa before earning a transfer to Chelsea in 2022.
In February 2025, after little more than two years at Chelsea, Chukwuemeka was loaned to Borussia Dortmund for the second half of the 2024/25 season, with the option of a permanent move. At the end of the loan period, Dortmund secured a permanent transfer for him for a reported fee of around €25 million, signing a five-year contract until 2030.
Chukwuemeka is eligible to represent England, Austria, and Nigeria. In 2022, he won the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship with England before committing to Austria.
Marcel Sabitzer Religion
Marcel Sabitzer is an Austrian professional footballer who is a devout Christian. Born on March 17, 1994, in Wels, Austria, Marcel inherited his football genes from his father, Herfried Sabitzer, a former forward who earned six caps for the Austria national team. Sabitzer received early academy training at several Austrian clubs, including ESV Admira Villach, Grazer AK, and Wiener Neustadt. He then joined Austria Wien and later moved to Admira Wacker to begin his senior career. Three years later, in January 2013, he moved to Rapid Vienna, and in May 2014 he was signed by German club RB Leipzig on a four-year deal, although he was immediately loaned to FC Salzburg for the 2014/15 season. He won the Austrian domestic double with Salzburg before Bayern Munich bought him for €16 million in 2021. At the end of January 2023, after a reduced role at Bayern, he was loaned to Manchester United for the remainder of the season, where he won the English League Cup (EFL Cup).
In the summer of 2023, Sabitzer joined Borussia Dortmund, signing permanently from Bayern Munich on a €19 million deal.
Sabitzer has played for Austria at the UEFA European Championship in 2016, 2020, and 2024 and the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Fábio Silva Religion
Fábio Daniel Soares Silva is a Portuguese professional footballer who is a practicing Roman Catholic. Silva was born on 19 July 2002 in Gondomar, in the Porto District of Portugal, and is the son of professional footballer Jorge Silva, while his older brother Jorge is also a professional player. When Silva was eight years old, he began playing on the youth team of FC Porto. In a rare move, he transferred to fierce rivals Benfica’s academy in 2015 before returning home to Porto two years later in 2017. He won the 2018–19 UEFA Youth League with Porto and then made his senior debut later. In September 2020, Silva left Porto to join Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League. At Wolves, he had a loan spell with Anderlecht, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, and Las Palmas.
In August 2025, Silva signed for Borussia Dortmund for €26.5 million.
Joane Gadou Religion
Kouakou Henry-Joane Aaron Aimerick Gadou is a French professional footballer who has not made his religious beliefs publicly known. Gadou was born on 17 January 2007 in Aubervilliers, Seine-Saint-Denis, and holds both French and Ivorian nationality. He began his youth football with lower-league side ES Nangis and played there until 2020, when he joined the Paris Saint-Germain youth academy at the age of 13. He spent four years at PSG’s youth center, winning the French U19 championship before he left France to join Austrian Bundesliga club FC Red Bull Salzburg in September 2024.
In May 2026, Gadou moved from Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund for €20 million. He signed a five-year contract until 2031.
Emre Can Religion
Emre Can is a German professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim. Can was born on 12 January 1994 in Frankfurt, Germany, to Turkish immigrant parents. He began his football journey at the youth academy of local club SV Blau-Gelb Frankfurt before moving to Eintracht Frankfurt’s youth system at age 12, eventually signing with Bayern Munich in 2009. Can then made his senior debut for Bayern in 2012 and spent the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons training with the first team while continuing to play for the club’s youth squads. In the summer of 2013, he left Munich to join Bayer 04 Leverkusen. A season later, he was signed by Premier League club Liverpool for £9.75 million. He famously won the Premier League Goal of the Season in 2016–17 for an iconic bicycle-kick goal against Watford, and later, he moved to Juventus on a free transfer in 2018.
Emre Can returned to Germany in January 2020, initially on loan before Dortmund finalized a €25 million permanent deal. Three years later, in July 2023, Can was named club captain and later signed a contract extension through June 30, 2027.
Emre Can was a core part of the young Germany squad that won the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. He has represented Germany at UEFA Euro 2016 and Euro 2020 and was a late addition to the Euro 2024 squad.
Daniel Svensson Religion
Daniel Jonathan Svensson is a Swedish professional footballer who has not publicly disclosed his religious beliefs. Svensson was born on 12 February 2002 in Stockholm, Sweden, and he plays as a central midfielder or left-back for Borussia Dortmund and the Sweden national team. Svensson’s youth career began at age four with local club Irsta IF northwest of Stockholm, followed by stints at Skiljebo SK and IF Brommapojkarna. He was then promoted to Brommapojkarna’s senior squad in January 2020. After just six competitive matches for the senior team, he left Sweden in March 2020 to join Danish club FC Nordsjælland.
In February 2025, Svensson joined Borussia Dortmund on loan from Nordsjælland, with the loan arrangement initially covering the second half of the 2024/25 season. In May 2025, Dortmund converted the loan into a permanent transfer, signing him on a long-term contract until 30 June 2029. His weekly wages at Dortmund are reported as €47,115.
Julian Ryerson Religion
Julian Ryerson is a Norwegian professional footballer who is a practicing Christian. Ryerson was born on 17 November 1997 in Kvinesdal, Norway, and started playing football at the local club Lyngdal IL, where he trained and played as a child before joining the youth academy of Viking Stavanger at the age of 15. In 2015, he made his senior debut for Viking and played 28 first-team league matches over the 2016 and 2017 seasons. In July 2018, he moved abroad for the first time, joining German club 1. FC Union Berlin on a three-year contract.
Ryerson joined Borussia Dortmund on 17 January 2023, signing a long-term contract until June 2026. He helped Dortmund reach the UEFA Champions League Final in 2024. In the recent 2025–26 season, he reached world-class form, earning the nickname Flankengott (“Crossing God”) after achieving 14 Bundesliga assists. In October 2024, Ryerson signed a long-term contract extension until June 30, 2028, with a base salary of €5 million per year.
Ryerson possessed dual US-Norwegian citizenship through his American-born father and Norwegian mother. He ultimately chose to renounce his US passport in 2022.
Justin Lerma Religion
Justin Armando Lerma Soliz is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who has not publicly declared his specific religious affiliation. Lerma was born on May 5, 2008, in the coastal city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, and he plays as an attacking midfielder for Borussia Dortmund. He began his youth football development at age 8 with local club Guayaquil City FC and then moved to Independiente del Valle. In April 2024, Lerma was promoted to the first team of Independiente del Valle at age 15. Just one month after his senior debut, Borussia Dortmund secured a €4 million deal to sign him. Because of FIFA transfer rules regarding minor players, he was required to remain in Ecuador until his 18th birthday. In June 2026, he signed a contract with the club until 2031.
Samuele Inácio Religion
Samuele Inácio Piá is an Italian professional footballer who has not publicly disclosed his personal religious faith. Inácio was born on April 2, 2008, in Bergamo, Italy, to an Italian mother and a Brazilian father. His father is João Batista Inácio, better known as Piá, a former Brazilian forward who played in Serie A and Serie B during the 2000s. Inácio began playing soccer at age four for a local suburban team called Marigolda before being scouted. He then moved to join the youth academy of Atalanta BC at age five.
In July 2024, Inácio joined the youth academy of Borussia Dortmund and was later called up to the senior team during the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. Dortmund secured his long-term future by signing him to a contract extension that runs through June 30, 2029.
Luca Reggiani Religion
Luca Reggiani is an Italian professional footballer who has not publicly disclosed his personal religion. Born on 9 January 2008 in the northern Italian city of Modena, he plays as a defender for Borussia Dortmund and the Italy national team. Reggiani began playing football at age five with local side Castelvetro Calcio and was later recruited by US Sassuolo Calcio at age eight.
In February 2024, at age 16, Reggiani was transferred to the Borussia Dortmund youth academy and immediately anchored the BVB U17 defense, winning the German U17 Championship in his debut season before progressing through the U19 and U23 ranks. He then made his professional debut in February 2026. Reggiani signed his first long-term pro contract with Dortmund on 20 March 2026, keeping him at the club through 2029.
Reggiani starred as the captain of Italy’s U17 national team at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. He won three Player of the Match awards while guiding Italy to a bronze-medal finish. Subsequently, he received his first senior call-up for Italy in June 2026.