10 INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLERS YOU DIDN'T KNOW WERE DEVOTED CHRISTIANS

 When it comes to sports, football is the most popular sport in the world with about 3.5 billion fans globally. Most international footballers are very rich and live very luxurious lifestyle. 

Despite the fame, the money and the luxury, there are some who have managed to stick to their Christian faith and in this video, we shall be talking about 10 International footballers who are devoted Christians.

First is Bukayo Saka: Bukayo Saka is an Arsenal star who plays as right winger. He is a devout Christian who doesn't mince words in publicly declaring his faith in God. During an interview, he mentioned that he reads the bible every night and talked about the importance of the presence of God in his life.

Second is Lionel Messi: Lionel Messi is one of most popular football players in history. He is a Catholic. He was born in Argentina where Christianity is the biggest religion and 71% of the population is Catholic. Messi usually points his fingers up after doing the sign of the cross after scoring a goal to thank God for the goal 

Third is Neymar:  Neymar is a Brazilian professional footballer. He played for Paris Saint -German between 2017 and 2023. He currently plays for Saudi League, Al-Hilal. Neymar is a devout Christian and regularly praises God on Social Media. He had a Christian upbringing in his Native of Brazil. 

Fourth is  Marcus Rashford: Marcus Rashford is a Manchester United star who plays as a forward. He is a devout Christian who has spoken about the role of faith in his life.

He says the faith he has in God is reflected in the way he treats people. He has also talked about his values and how his mother has influenced him in his upbringing. He credits his mother for instilling respect and rules in him.

Fifth is Raheem Sterling: Raheem Sterling plays as a winger for Chelsea. He is a devout Christian who owes his faith to his mother. He attributed his mother’s influence to his faith and stated that he prays regularly. In 2013, he made a statement where he said that his belief in God is strong.

Sixth is Carney Chukwuemeka: Carney Chukwuemeka plays for Chelsea as an attacking midfielder. He has been very vocal on social media about his love for God. His Instagram bio says "100 percent Jesus". 

After a good start at Chelsea, he suffered an injury setback. Reacting to the injury, he posted a message quoting 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5:16-18 which says "Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you"

Seventh is Cody Gakpo: Cody Gakpo plays as a left winger for Liverpool. He lives his life with God at the centre. During an interview with Dutch newspaper NRC, he made the following statement 

"Not only in my carrier, religion helps my whole life. It's a lifestyle for me. I take the bible with me everywhere and everyday, in the UK or wherever else. If I can't go to church, I call the pastor. Faith gives me peace and strength when I need it. I often read the bible before I go to sleep".

Eight is Olivier Giroud: Olivier Giroud plays as a striker for AC Milan. The World Cup winner is very publicly outspoken about his faith in Christ. A tattoo on the inside of his right am written in Latin translates to "The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" which is a reference to Psalm 23. 

In a 2029 Frech Christian magazine, he made the following statement "I try to speak about my faith whenever I can. I feel I have to use my media profile to talk about my commitment to Jesus Christ".

Nineth is Nony Madueke: Nony Madueke plays as a winger for Chelsea. He regularly posts about his faith on his social media. He had posted Psalm 30:5 which says "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning". In another post, he said "Lord I love you for never ever leaving me".

Tenth is Odion Ighalo: Ighalo currently plays for the Saudi Club, Al-Wehda. He is another player who always openly displays his Christian faith. Ighalo is usually seen kneeling down and pointing to the sky in thanks to God whenever he scores a goal. He also shares inspirational and biblical scripture on his social media pages from time to time.

And that's all about the list of 10 professional footballers who are devoted Christians. Thanks and God bless.