The afternoon of this Tuesday, April 13, officially began Ramadan 2021, which will run until next May, where Muslims around the world undergo a fast from sunrise to sunset., a holiday that is not alien to sport, as footballers from all over the world join despite being in competition with their respective clubs.
Major League Soccer is one of the most diverse leagues in the world and its 2021 season will start precisely in the week in which its Muslim players begin with the commemoration of the first revelation of the prophet Muhammad and as has happened in the last campaigns, they will have to adapt to fulfill their faith and with the professional commitments that they will have as of this week.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Islamic celebration has also been affected, although this does not prevent the millions of Muslims around the world from commemorating the arrival of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and for which, believers, including professional footballers, abstain from food and drink, smoking, or sexual intercourse, from dawn until dusk.
Ramadan in MLS
The 2021 MLS season will kick off this Friday with active players who profess Ramadan, such is the case of the D.C. goalkeeper. United, Bill Hamid, Kekuta Manneh, who recently joined Austin FC and Latif Blessing, LAFC midfielder, who will face the start of the campaign, in full celebration of Ramadan.
The league does not prevent footballers from following their religious traditions and each player is free to profess their beliefs, so it is up to the player to adhere to the strict fast that Ramadan dictates, something that was precisely stated by the D.C. goalkeeper. United, Bill Hamid, who continues the tradition, except on game days.
“I do my best on days when I know there is no game coming. It is very important in the holy month of Ramadan to make sure that you are making the right decisions. It's not easy being on the field, especially at times like this, so I want to have the right things in my body to make sure I'm giving myself energy and strength to play the best I can, ”said the American goalkeeper, from a Muslim family, from Sierra Leone.
Hamid will debut alongside D.C. United, next Saturday against New York City FC, while Latif Blessing and Kekuta Manneh, could meet on the opening day of MLS, when LAFC welcomes Austin FC, in the Texan team's debut as an expansion team in American football.
Its impact on the world of football
Great stars of the footballing elite, such as Karim Benzema, Mohamed Salah, Paul Pogba, Sadio Mané, among others, are some of the players who profess Islam and join the celebration of Ramadan, which It has a direct impact on the practice of soccer, because even in Muslim countries, the matches are usually stopped to fulfill their religious duty.
For its part, FIFA has carried out a series of studies during Ramadan and has come to the conclusion that it does not affect their performance on the court, so it is left to the discretion of each player, to carry out the fast according to their preferences.