KARACHI: As Les Bleus clinched their second World Cup title after a thrilling final win over Croatia, social media was quick to underscore that the team had seven Muslim players in it and how the country must apply its on-field victories off the field as well.
Adil Rami, Djibril Sidibé, Benjamin Mendy, Paul Pogba , N’Golo Kanté, Nabil Fekir and Ousmane Dembélé all practice the faith.
The country which is often in the spotlight for its Islamophobic social policies won the ultimate footballing prize with a team that is one-third Muslim.
Paul Pogba wishes Eid Mubarak to his social media followers https://t.co/P3R1HKRgJJ pic.twitter.com/ZN3ebZ6bnK
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) September 12, 2016
Twitterati called on France to put an end to its "hypocrisy" and acknowledge the foundational and positive role Muslims play in developing its society.
In pictures: French take to the streets in celebration after World Cup victory
"Africans and Muslims delivered you a second World Cup, now deliver them justice," American author Khaled Beydoun wrote.
Paul Pogba seen praying before a match against the Netherlands. SCREENGRAB: DAILYMOTION"With France passing all these laws against Islamic practices, let's not forget it's these same Muslims players who helped win #WorldCup2018," one Twitter user wrote.
https://twitter.com/atoma019/status/1018553907046469632
Some called on France to recognise the victory as a much-needed wake-up call for the country to adopt policies upholding the rights and dignity of migrants and Muslims.
https://twitter.com/KhaledBeydoun/status/1018540593897705473
78% of the French football team are immigrants, and 50% are Muslim.
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) July 15, 2018
Muslim immigrants rebuilt France after the Second World War, and they've helped make France the #1 team in the world.
Diversity is strength. Racism is weakness.
I hope France never says an unkind word about immigrants ever again
— fatima bhutto (@fbhutto) July 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/KhaledBeydoun/status/1018776149466501120
All the best to #LesBleus and our French brothers for the #WorldCupFinal2018 pic.twitter.com/Lc27rXkYae
— Muslim Footballers (@TheAMF) July 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/KhaledBeydoun/status/1018713623408140306
Sitting in wondering what would France be like if the French fought as hard against anti-African racism and Islamaphobia as it is currently celebrating winning the #WorldCup delivered by a team with an overwhelming majority of Africans and Muslims.
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) July 15, 2018
Suddenly critics are offended, “How dare you isolate France’s players as Migrants & Muslims? They’re all French!”
— Qasim Rashid for Congress (@QasimRashid) July 16, 2018
•When they need asylum, a job, an education, food, housing, shelter, a mosque, and basic humanity—they’re Migrants.
•When they win the World Cup—they’re French.
Dear French government & people
— د. عبدالرحمن بخاري (@DrAAB1987) July 15, 2018
Muslims are not all terrorists✋
Muslims are essential part of your national team..
Muslims brought you joy & laugh ..
Muslims brought you the World Cup
.
.#FRA #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/3uUo1k0RPT
Zidane and Pogba - two Muslims that led France to their two #WorldCup titles. In 1998 and 2018.
— Quran & Hadith (@QuranAndHadithh) July 15, 2018
Their faces illuminated on the Arc de Triomphe, a symbol of the nation.
Islam CAN coexist with French identity.
Don't just celebrate Muslims when they deliver #WorldCupFinal glory. pic.twitter.com/UmHbzebmUb
https://twitter.com/acjoshi/status/1018860465131270144
It’s not just about African angle though - Islamophobia is rife in France & this goes beyond anti-black racism. The fact that a proudly Muslim player scored Sunday matters a great deal to a lot of French Muslims who I know who face massive discrimination that goes beyond race.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) July 16, 2018
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