Is William Saliba of Arsenal a Muslim? His ‘Alhamdulillah’ post after Chelsea goal sends tongues wagging

By Juma Namlola thenamlola@gmail.com

Arsenal defender William Saliba was absent from the squad for Wednesday’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion due to an ankle injury, confirmed by manager Mikel Arteta.

“He turned his ankle against Chelsea. He managed to finish the game somehow, but he was too sore to play today,” Arteta said, stressing that the absence was precautionary.

The 24‑year-old French centre-back had scored the opening goal in Arsenal’s 2‑1 win over Chelsea on Sunday, immediately sharing his joy with fans by writing:

“Alhamdulillah! Three new points put us in the lead 🔥❤️”--a phrase meaning “Praise be to God”, reflecting his openly expressed Muslim faith.

Is William Saliba a Muslim?

Yes, William Saliba is a Muslim. He has publicly expressed his Islamic faith through social media posts, Ramadan messages, Quranic verses, and prayer greetings.

What is William Saliba’s religion?

William Saliba follows Islam and has openly shared his faith online.

January 30, 2026: Shared a photo standing in prayer posture, captioned “Juma’ah Mubarak 🤲🏻.”

February 3, 2026: Responded “Amin” to a Mid-Sha’ban blessing.

February 15, 2026: Shared verses from Suratul Inshirah: “Verily, after every difficulty comes ease.”

Ramadan 2026: Pinned a message praying for Muslims worldwide.

Shows support for Palestine via social media posts.

Mini-profile

Saliba lost both parents at a young age and recalls buying his first Arsenal shirt with his mother in Paris.

He started as a striker and midfielder before settling as a centre-back at 14.

In 2023, while recovering from a previous injury, he traveled to Cameroon, his mother’s homeland, and met Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation, strengthening his African football connections.

Quick facts

Full name: William Saliba

Date of birth: March 24, 2001 (24 years old)

Position: Centre-back

Club: Arsenal FC