Last Updated: July 10, 2026
This is a list of Manchester United footballers and their known or widely recognized religious beliefs heading into the 2026/2027 season. This list includes notable players in the current squad who have been publicly associated with a faith, whether through personal statements, interviews, cultural background, or visible religious practice. This covers Muslim players, Christian players, and those from other faith traditions. It is not a list of Muslim players alone, nor is it limited to those who are openly and vocally devout.
Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and Harry Maguire top the list as the most notable players practicing Christianity. In contrast, Ivorian Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo make the list as devoted Muslim players in the squad.
Table of Contents
Senne Lammens Religion
Senne Lammens is a Belgian professional footballer who comes from a Catholic family background. Senne Lammens was born on 7 July 2002 in Zottegem, East Flanders. He started playing football at the local Belgian clubs before joining Club Brugge’s academy. He also came through clubs such as KRC Bambrugge and Dender before Brugge. At the age of 20, he moved to Royal Antwerp on a four-year deal, initially as a backup, before winning the starting role in the 2024-25 season.
At Antwerp, he helped the team secure the Belgian Super Cup before his €21 million move to Manchester United in September 2025. He had a spectacular 2025–26 debut season under Michael Carrick, starting 32 Premier League matches, recording 8 clean sheets, and winning the Premier League Transfer of the Season award.
Lammens represented Belgium at the youth level and earned senior national team recognition in 2025. In addition to that, on 15 May 2026, he was named in Belgium’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Altay Bayındır Religion
Altay Bayındır is a Turkish professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim. Altay Bayındır was born on 14 April 1998 in Osmangazi, Bursa, Turkey, and he is currently considered Manchester United’s second-choice goalkeeper. Bayındır started playing as a striker and defender as a child before switching to goalkeeper. For his career, he began training at age nine within the Bursaspor youth academy and then continued his development at Arabayatağıspor, Bursa Yolspor, and MKE Ankaragücü. In July 2019, he joined Turkish giants Fenerbahçe, and four years later, he won the Turkish Cup before signing a £5 million contract with Manchester United in September 2023.
Diogo Dalot Religion
José Diogo Dalot Teixeira is a Portuguese professional footballer who has not publicly spoken about his specific religious beliefs. Diogo Dalot was born José Diogo Dalot Teixeira on March 18, 1999, in Braga, Portugal, and he plays as a full-back or a wing-back for Manchester United and the Portugal national team. When Dalot was nine years old, he began playing on the youth team of Porto before making his professional debut for Porto B in January 2017 and his senior first-team debut in October 2017.
In June 2018, Dalot joined Manchester United for a reported fee of €22 million, and he has since won two major trophies, such as the 2022/2023 Carabao Cup and 2023/2024 Emirates FA Cup. Moving on, from October 2020 to June 2021, Dalot was loaned to Italian Serie A club Milan. On returning to Old Trafford, he won the starting right-back spot over Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Dalot represented Portugal through the youth levels, including the Under-17 side that won the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He later moved up to the senior national team and made his senior international debut for Portugal at UEFA Euro 2020. He has also been featured in tournaments, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, UEFA Euro 2020, UEFA Euro 2024, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Dalot won the 2025 UEFA Nations League title with Portugal.
Mason Mount Religion
Mason Tony Mount is an English professional footballer who identifies as a Christian. Mason Mount was born on 10 January 1999 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, to British parents Debbie and Tony Mount. As a child, Mount played locally for Boarhunt Rovers and United Services Portsmouth before joining Chelsea’s academy in 2005. Mount made his senior breakthrough during loan spells, first at Vitesse in the Netherlands, where he won Player of the Year, and then at Derby County under Frank Lampard. He returned to Chelsea and won the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2021.
From Chelsea, Mount moved to Manchester United on a five-year contract in July 2023 for an initial £55 million and took on the prestigious number seven jersey, which was last worn by Cristiano Ronaldo prior to his departure in the previous season.
Mason Mount began his career with the England national football team at the youth level, playing at the under-16 and under-21 levels. He made his debut for the senior team in 2015, in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier. He was part of the England team at UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Noussair Mazraoui Religion
Noussair Mazraoui is a Moroccan professional footballer who is a devout Muslim. Noussair Mazraoui was born to Moroccan parents in the Netherlands, and he plays as a defender for Manchester United and the Morocco national team. Mazraoui started playing at the Ajax youth academy before making his senior debut in February 2018. The following year, he won the 2019 Ajax Talent of the Year award and went on to finish his entire season with Ajax by winning three Eredivisie titles and two KNVB Cups. After a strong run with Ajax, he moved to Bayern Munich in 2022 on a free transfer and won the Bundesliga title in his debut season.
In August 2024, Mazraoui joined Manchester United for a base fee of €15 million. He finished runner-up for the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award in his debut 2024–25 season.
Mazraoui is of Moroccan descent and chose to represent Morocco internationally, even though he was born and raised in the Netherlands. He was a member of the Morocco squads that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Additionally, he is actively starring at left-back in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he recently dropped a 120-minute masterclass with 13 clearances to eliminate his birth country, the Netherlands, in the Round of 32.
Bruno Fernandes Religion
Bruno Miguel Borges Fernandes is a Portuguese professional footballer who is a practicing Christian and identifies as Roman Catholic. Bruno Fernandes was born on 8 September 1994 in Maia, Portugal, to parents José Fernandes and Virginia Borges. Bruno started out at local club Boavista before moving to Italian Serie B side Novara. After Novara, Fernandes moved to Udinese, then Sampdoria. After five years in Italy, he signed with Sporting CP in 2017 for €8.5 million. At Sporting, he won consecutive Primeira Liga Player of the Year awards and captained the team to domestic cups. He then went on to break a record by scoring 32 goals across all competitions, making him the highest-scoring Portuguese midfielder and the highest-scoring midfielder in Europe in a single season.
In January 2020, Sporting CP announced that Fernandes would transfer to Manchester United after the English club activated his €55 million release clause. Fernandes made an immediate impact in England, winning four Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year trophies. Later on, he took over as permanent club captain in 2023, lifting the 2024 FA Cup, and won the Premier League Player of the Season award for his record-breaking 21-assist campaign, simultaneously breaking the record for most assists in a single Premier League season.
Fernandes played for Portugal at the youth level and made his senior debut in 2017. He was in Portugal’s squads for the FIFA World Cup in 2018, 2022, and 2026, the UEFA European Championship in 2020 and 2024, and the UEFA Nations League Finals in 2019 and 2025, winning the latter competition both times while also being named to its Team of the Tournament in 2019.
Fernandes and his wife, Ana Pinho, met as teenagers at Boavista High School in Portugal and started dating when they were 16. The couple dated for eight years before getting married in 2015. Together, the couple has a daughter and a son.
Matthijs de Ligt Religion
Matthijs de Ligt is a Dutch professional footballer who is a Christian. Matthijs de Ligt was born on August 12, 1999, in Leiderdorp, Netherlands. Shortly after his birth, his family relocated to Abcoude, a village near Amsterdam. Both his parents, Frank and Vivian de Ligt, are avid tennis players. De Ligt did not start with football. He initially spent his early childhood playing tennis, hockey, and judo before switching to football at age six, when he joined local youth academy FC Abcoude. From there, he moved to the Ajax youth academy and made his senior debut in September 2016 and scored in that first appearance. Over the next two seasons, he became a regular starter and later the youngest captain in Ajax history.
De Ligt captained Ajax through their remarkable 2018-19 run, when they won the Eredivisie and KNVB Cup and reached the Champions League semi-finals, and in the summer of 2019, he joined the Italian giants Juventus for a reported €75 million fee. After Juventus, he continued his career at Bayern Munich, where he arrived in 2022 for €67 million. He won the Bundesliga title and DFL-Supercup in his debut 2022–23 campaign before he was transferred to Manchester United in August 2024.
After an excellent start to the 2025–26 season, where fans voted him November Player of the Month, De Ligt suffered a severe back injury against Crystal Palace. He underwent successful corrective surgery in May 2026 and is currently in the rehabilitation phase.
Manuel Ugarte Religion
Manuel Ugarte Ribeiro is a Uruguayan professional footballer who is of Catholic faith. Manuel Ugarte was born on 11 April 2001 in Montevideo, Uruguay, and he plays as a defensive midfielder for Manchester United and the Uruguay national team. He started playing football at a very young age and joined his first youth club, City Park de Ciudad de la Costa, before moving to Centro Atlético Fénix and then to Fénix’s senior side when he was still a teenager. Ugarte made his professional debut for Fénix in 2016 at just 15 years and 233 days old, becoming the youngest player this century to play professionally in Uruguay. By 18, he was named club captain.
In December 2021, he joined Portuguese Primeira Liga club Famalicão. That same year, Ugarte signed for fellow Primeira Liga club Sporting CP, winning the Taça da Liga in his time with the club. After a strong period at Sporting, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023 for a transfer worth €60 million. In August 2024, he joined Manchester United for a fee of €50 million. Since then, he has made over 50 appearances before he tragically sustained a torn ACL against Spain during the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stages.
Harry Maguire Religion
Harry Jacob Maguire is an English professional footballer who was raised in a devout Christian family and practices Roman Catholicism. Harry Maguire was born on 5 March 1993 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. His brothers, Joe and Laurence, are also footballers. Maguire was educated at Immaculate Conception Catholic Primary School and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic High School. Maguire came through the youth academy at Sheffield United as a central midfielder before moving to center-back. He made his senior debut for the club in April 2011 at age 18, earning man of the match against Cardiff City. Later on, he won their Player of the Year award three seasons in a row before Sheffield was relegated. In 2014, he moved to Hull City for £2.5 million before being loaned to Wigan Athletic in 2015. He then joined Leicester City in 2017 for £12 million. At Leicester, he became a key defender, helping the club win the 2021 FA Cup, and was named Player of the Season.
In 2019, Maguire signed a £80 million contract with Manchester United, breaking records as the most expensive defender in football history. Six months into his stay, Maguire was appointed club captain and has since won the Carabao Cup (2023) and the FA Cup (2024).
Maguire made his first England appearance at the under-21 level in 2012, but his senior debut came in November 2017 in a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania. Since then, he has been chosen for the England squads for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups and for UEFA Euro 2020.
Away from football, In 2022, Maguire was targeted with a bomb threat, resulting in the police sweeping his house for devices. In addition to that, in January 2025, Maguire received a 56-day driving ban and a £1,052 fine for exceeding a local speed limit by 35 mph.
Kobbie Mainoo Religion
Kobbie Boateng Mainoo is an English professional footballer who has not publicly detailed his personal religious beliefs. Some reports show he is a practicing Christian after he showed respect by protecting Muslim player Amad Diallo from champagne spray during celebrations, but he does not reveal his own religion. Kobbie Mainoo was born on 19 April 2005 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in England, to parents from Ghana. He has two sisters and an older brother who appeared as a contestant on the fifth series of Love Island. Mainoo started playing football at Cheadle & Gatley Junior Football Club at age five before he was officially signed into the Manchester United Academy.
In January 2023, Mainoo made his Premier League senior debut for Manchester United. Though he made only one league appearance in 2022-23, he had already played in the EFL Cup and FA Cup earlier that season. In the 2023-24 season, he played strongly alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro and scored an important goal in the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City, becoming the youngest player since 1981 to score in an FA Cup final. Subsequently, on 30 April 2026, Mainoo signed a five-year contract extension with Manchester United, keeping him at the club until June 2031.
Mainoo represented England at under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels before earning his first senior call-up in March 2024 at age 18. He made his senior debut against Brazil and then started against Belgium, winning the Man of the Match award. He was included in the England squad for UEFA Euro 2024, where he became the third-youngest player to start for England in a knockout match and the youngest English player to start in the semi-final. England reached the final, though they did not win the tournament.
Lisandro Martínez Religion
Lisandro Martínez is an Argentine professional footballer who is a practicing Roman Catholic. A signed Manchester United shirt of his was personally gifted to Pope Francis during a Vatican visit. Lisandro Martínez was born on 18 January 1998 in Gualeguay, a small town in the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina, and he plays as a center-back for Manchester United and the Argentina national team. Martínez started playing football at his local clubs before moving to Buenos Aires to join Defensa y Justicia, then Ajax, and finally Manchester United.
In 2022, Martínez joined Manchester United for £47 million, and he was part of the squad that won the 2023 Carabao Cup and the 2024 FA Cup. On 7 August, Martínez made his club debut. That same month, he received the Manchester United Player of the Month award after his impressive performance against Liverpool.
Martínez represented Argentina at both the Under-20 and Under-23 levels before making his senior international debut in March 2019. With Argentina, he has won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América.
In another activity, Martínez grew up with his parents, Raúl Martínez and Silvina Cabrera, in Gualeguay. His father gave him crucial advice at a time when he wanted to leave football to work as a bricklayer.
Patrick Dorgu Religion
Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu is a Danish professional football player who is a Christian. His middle name, Chinazaekpere, of Igbo origin, means “God answers prayers.” Patrick Dorgu was born on 26 October 2004 in Copenhagen, Denmark, to Nigerian parents of Igbo descent. His brothers Gabriel and Ifenna both play professional football, and his sister plays handball. Dorgu began his professional career at Lecce in 2023, where he played in two Serie A seasons, before moving to Manchester United.
In February 2025, Dorgu signed for United on a five-year deal until 2030, with an option for an additional year, for a reported fee of £25 million. That same month, he made his United debut in a 2–1 FA Cup win against Leicester City.
Patrick Dorgu is eligible to play for both Denmark and Nigeria, but he chose to represent Denmark. He progressed through the Denmark U18, U19, U20, and U21 levels before making his senior debut on 5 September 2024 in a UEFA Nations League match.
Matheus Cunha Religion
Matheus Santos Carneiro da Cunha is a Brazilian professional footballer who is a Christian. Cunha was born in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil, and he plays as a forward, attacking midfielder, or winger for Manchester United and the Brazil national team. Cunha originally played futsal for a club in Recife before switching to football with Coritiba after a trial with Santos. Cunha started his football career at Coritiba. At the age of 18, he moved to Europe to join Swiss club Sion. He spent one year with Sion before moving to two Bundesliga clubs, RB Leipzig and Hertha BSC. In August 2021, Spanish giants Atlético Madrid signed him for €30 million. Subsequently, Cunha moved to the Premier League with Wolves, initially on loan before completing a permanent €50 million transfer.
In June 2025, Cunha was signed by Manchester United for a transfer fee of £62.5 million. Since then, he has contributed 10 goals in 33 appearances for United.
Cunha was part of the Brazil squad that won the Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He made his senior international debut in September 2021, and represented Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Leny Yoro Religion
Leny Jean-Luc Yoro is a French professional footballer who is a devout Christian. He used to attend an evangelical church when he was living in France and playing for Lille. Yoro was born on 13 November 2005 in Saint-Maurice, France, to an Ivorian father, Alain Yoro, and a French mother, Flore Baugnies. Yoro started playing football at Alfortville, and he later moved to a local club in Villeneuve-d’Ascq before joining Lille’s academy at age 12. He signed his first professional contract shortly after and made his senior Ligue 1 debut on 14 May 2022, becoming one of the youngest players to appear for Lille in the top flight. He was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year in the 2023–24 season.
In July 2024, Manchester United signed Leny Yoro from Lille in a deal worth €62 million. At 18, he became the most expensive player aged 18 or younger and one of the most expensive center-backs ever. Yoro joined on a five-year deal with an option for a further year, running until 2029 at least. His first goal for Manchester United came in a 2–2 draw with Lyon in the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg.
After studying at the Lille academy, Yoro graduated from high school in management sciences (STMG).
Joshua Zirkzee Religion
Joshua Orobosa Zirkzee is a Dutch professional footballer who is a devout Christian. Zirkzee was born on 22 May 2001 in Schiedam, Netherlands, to a Nigerian mother and a Dutch father. Zirkzee began his footballing career as a five-year-old with VV Hekelingen before moving through Spartaan ’20, ADO Den Haag, and Feyenoord’s academies. One year later, Zirkzee left the Feyenoord academy in his native Netherlands to join the youth setup of Bayern Munich, and later on, he made his senior debut. While at Bayern, he had loan spells at Parma and Anderlecht. In August 2024, Zirkzee moved to Serie A side Bologna for €8.5 million. He spent two seasons, finishing the season as Bologna’s top scorer before he was transferred to Manchester United in July 2024 for £36.5 million. He scored on his Premier League debut against Fulham.
Zirkzee was eligible to represent the Netherlands or Nigeria at the international level, but he chose to commit his international career to the Oranje. He made his senior international debut in July 2024, at UEFA Euro 2024.
Luke Shaw Religion
Luke Paul Hoare Shaw is an English professional footballer whose religion is not publicly confirmed. Luke Shaw was born on 12 July 1995 in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London. Shaw was educated at Chandlers Field Primary School and Rydens Enterprise School. Shaw played youth football with his local club, Southampton, before making his first-team debut for the club in January 2012. During the 2013–14 season, Shaw was named to the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
At the end of the 2013–14 campaign, Shaw signed for Manchester United for £30 million, making him the most expensive teenager in world football at the time. He joined the club in July 2014 under new manager Louis van Gaal and would go on to become the Red Devils’ longest-serving outfield player. He has won the EFL Cup and the Europa League with United and was named Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year in 2018–19 as well as Players’ Player of the Year in 2018–19 and 2020–21.
Shaw began representing England on the England national under-16 team in 2011. That same year, he moved up to the under-17 team and, in 2013, played in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship before he was called up to the England senior squad in 2014. Later that year, he was selected for the squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He has remained a part of England’s plans for many years, featuring in the 2014 and 2022 World Cups as well as the 2020 and 2024 European Championships.
Amad Diallo Religion
Amad Diallo, sometimes known mononymously as Amad, is an Ivorian professional footballer who is a practicing Muslim. Amad Diallo was born on 11 July 2002 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and he plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Manchester United and the Ivory Coast national team. His early career began with Boca Barco in Italy before joining Atalanta’s academy in 2015. He played for the youth team from 2015 to 2019 before breaking into the senior squad as a 17-year-old, becoming one of the youngest players ever to feature for Atalanta in Serie A.
In January 2021, Amad joined Manchester United for €21.3 million. He was first used in United’s under-23s, then got his senior debut in March 2021. After a few seasons, he was loaned to Rangers in 2021–22, then to Sunderland in 2022–23. At Sunderland, he won the club’s Young Player of the Year award. He returned to United and scored the winning goal in the last minute of extra time in a 4–3 win against Liverpool in the 2023–24 FA Cup quarter-finals.
Amad made his senior international debut for the Ivory Coast in March 2021, in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game. He represented the Ivory Coast at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Amad and Ivory Coast were eliminated by Norway in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In 2021, the Italian Football Federation fined Amad, then a teenager, and his alleged brother Hamed Traorè €48,000 each. The case involved allegations of false documents and identity fraud used to facilitate their entry into Italy around 2010 when Amad was about 8 years old. This was part of a broader investigation into a child trafficking/smuggling ring from Ivory Coast. Amad and his brother were brought to Italy using fake papers and claimed “parents.”
Ayden Heaven Religion
Ayden Edford Heaven is an English professional footballer who has not publicly discussed his religious beliefs. Heaven was born on 22 September 2006 in Islington, London. Ayden Heaven is of Ghanaian descent through one of his grandparents. He began his football career at West Ham United’s academy and then moved to Arsenal as a teenager before making his senior debut for Arsenal in 2024.
In February 2025, Heaven joined Manchester United for an undisclosed fee, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract with an option for an extra year. He made his United debut on 2 March 2025 in a Premier League match against Fulham. So far, Heaven has played 21 Premier League games for United, claiming the club’s December 2025 Player of the Month award.
Heaven has represented England at youth level and has clarified that he is committed to England rather than Ghana. He has played for England at the under-18, under-19, and under-20 levels, with his first major youth appearance for the U18s coming in a match against Northern Ireland in May 2024.
Bryan Mbeumo Religion
Bryan Tetsadong Marceau Mbeumo is a professional footballer who is widely understood to be a practicing Muslim. Mbeumo was born on 7 August 1999 in Avallon, France, to a French mother, Angélique Guge, and Cameroonian father, Jean Mbeumo. He plays primarily as a right winger for Manchester United and the Cameroon national team. Mbeumo is a product of the Troyes academy and began his senior career there in 2016 for the club’s reserve team. He then moved to Brentford in August 2019 for a club-record fee of £5.4m. In 2020–21 he helped Brentford win the Championship and earn promotion to the Premier League, and in his first full Premier League season at 22, he scored eight goals in 38 appearances.
In July 2025, Mbeumo signed a five-year contract with Manchester United for a reported fee of £71 million, making him one of the biggest Premier League signings of that summer. Three months later, he earned his first Premier League Player of the Month award. Moving on, he has made 33 Premier League appearances and netted 11 goals in his first season.
Mbeumo was capped by France at the youth level, representing them at U17, U20, and U21, and was part of the France U20 squad in 2019. However, in August 2022, after a meeting with his idol Samuel Eto’o, he declared for Cameroon and made his full international debut for the Indomitable Lions that same year. He was part of Cameroon’s squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Benjamin Šeško Religion
Benjamin Šeško is a Slovenian professional footballer who has not publicly identified a specific religion. Šeško was born on 31 May 2003 in Radeče, Slovenia. Šeško began playing football at his hometown club NK Radeče, then had a short spell at Rudar Trbovlje before returning to Radeče, where he played for the under‑15s and under‑17s. In the 2017–18 season, he scored 59 goals in 23 matches for Radeče’s under‑15s. In 2018, he moved to NK Domžale, where he spent one season before Red Bull Salzburg signed him in 2019 at age 16. He joined Salzburg’s youth academy and then went on loan to their Austrian second‑tier partner club, FC Liefering, to get senior experience. In July 2023, Šeško joined German club RB Leipzig. He netted 14 league goals in his debut season, scoring in seven consecutive matches.
For the 2025–26 season, Šeško moved to Manchester United for €76.5 million. He signed a five-year contract until 2030, thus becoming the first-ever Slovenian to represent the club. With United, he won the Manchester United Player of the Month award for February. He concluded his debut season as the club’s joint top scorer with 11 league goals, alongside Bryan Mbeumo.
Šeško played for Slovenia at U15, U16, U17, and U19 levels before being fast‑tracked straight into the senior team. He made his full international debut on 1 June 2021 at 18 years and 1 day, becoming the youngest player to play for Slovenia at the time. That same year, he also scored his first national team goal, becoming Slovenia’s youngest ever goal scorer at 18 years, four months, and eight days.