Take a closer look at some of the best Christian football players; you may be surprised to hear that some of them are followers of Jesus. Some of the FC Barcelona players on our list have openly expressed their faith, while others are yet unknown.
1. Iñaki Peña
Born on March 2, 1999, Ignacio “Iñaki” Peña Sotorres is a Spanish professional football player who plays goal for Barcelona in the La Liga.
At the age of five, Peña began his career with Alicante CF’s youth setup in 2004 after being born in Alicante, Valencian Community. He left Villarreal CF to join FC Barcelona players dressing room in 2012 when he was 13 years old. He started in the final match against Chelsea and was a member of the squad that won the UEFA Youth League in 2017–18.
Peña earned 30 caps overall while playing for Spain at the under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels. He started the entire tournament as a first-choice and finished second in the 2016 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. His first under-21 game was on November 12, 2020, in Marbella against the Faroe Islands. He replaced Álvaro Fernández at halftime in a 2-0 victory that qualified him for the European Championship the following year.
Spain’s under-21 team was called up for the international friendly against Lithuania on June 8, 2021, because some members of the national team were placed under isolation after Sergio Busquets tested positive for COVID-19. Peña didn’t play, though.
Religion
Although nothing is known about his formal education, it is likely that he completed primary and high school in Spain. He is of Spanish descent and belongs to the Christian faith.
2. Wojciech Szczęsny
Born on April 18, 1990, Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny is a Polish professional football player who plays goal for Barcelona in the La Liga.
In January 2006, Szczęsny joined Arsenal after beginning his club career at Legia Warsaw. He made his professional debut there in 2009. He later became the capital club’s first choice goalkeeper after spending the next season on loan at Brentford. He won two FA Cups and shared the 2013–14 Premier League Golden Glove award with Petr Čech.
After that, he spent two seasons on loan with Roma in Italy in 2015, and in 2017 his achievements won him a transfer to Juventus, the league’s defending champions. In his first season, he achieved a domestic double as a backup to Gianluigi Buffon. The following season, he took over Buffon’s starting position and won his second Serie A title; his efforts also earned him a nomination for the Yashin Trophy in 2019.
The next season, he earned the Serie A Best Goalkeeper Award and a third straight league victory. In 2024, he took a brief break from playing football, but he quickly changed his mind and joined FC Barcelona players dressing room, where he won another domestic double in his first season.
Between 2009 and 2024, Szczęsny earned 84 caps for Poland on the international scene. He was part of the team that co-hosted UEFA Euro 2012 and went on to play in three more tournaments (2016, 2020, and 2024) and two FIFA World Cups (2018 and 2022).
Religion
Wojciech Szczęsny is a Catholic Polish man. Marina Łuczenko, his spouse, is both Polish and Catholic. In 2016, they got married. “Szczęsny” implies “lucky” and is a Polish given name and surname.
3. Pau Cubarsí
Born on January 22, 2007, Pau Cubarsí Paredes is a Spanish professional football player who plays center back for both the Spanish national team and La Liga team Barcelona.
Irene, his older sister, works as a physical therapist. In 2018, he joined La Masia, which is roughly an hour and a half from his Bescanó home.
Since his parents used Catalan as the primary language at home, Cubarsí speaks it, which is the language he was raised in. He said that he rarely participated in interviews while representing Spain at the 2024 Olympic Games because he did not speak Spanish well, having only ever lived in Catalonia and speaking his own tongue.
Religion
Pau Cubarsí is reportedly a Christian even though he is not public about it.
4. Ronald Araujo
Born on March 7, 1999, Ronald Federico Araújo da Silva is a professional football player from Uruguay who plays defense for the Uruguay national team and one of FC Barcelona players. Although his primary position is center defense, he can occasionally play right back as well.
After playing for Uruguay’s under-18 and under-20 teams, Araújo was called up for the first time on October 5, 2020, for two FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Chile in 2022.
Eight days later, he started in a 2-4 defeat of the latter to make his full international debut.
Araújo was part of Uruguay’s final 26-man squad for the 2021 Copa América in Brazil in June 2021; however, he too suffered a muscle ailment and missed all five of Uruguay’s games in the competition.
Religion
Araujo, Ronald, is a Christian. He has expressed his faith in public, especially when he scored goals, showing that he believes in God. In one instance, ESPN FC shared a message on Facebook about his goal celebration, and some of the commenters mentioned God. According to FC Barcelona, Rivera, Uruguay, where he was born, has a largely Christian community.
5. Iñigo Martinez
Iñigo Martínez Berridi is a Spanish professional football player who plays center back for Barcelona in La Liga. He was born on May 17, 1991.
After making his debut at the age of 20, he played 238 games (17 goals scored) across all competitions with Real Sociedad for the majority of his professional career. He joined Athletic Bilbao in January 2018 and went on to win the 2020–21 Supercopa de España and make it to two Copa del Rey finals with them.
In 2013, Martínez received his first cap for Spain.
Religion
Iñigo Martínez is reportedly a Christian even though he is not public about it.
6. Andreas Christensen
Born on April 10, 1996, Andreas Bødtker Christensen is a Danish professional football player who plays center back for the Danish national team and one of FC Barcelona players.
Christensen joined Brøndby after starting his career with Skjold Birkerød. In February 2012, at the age of 15, he joined Chelsea, and in October 2014, he made his professional debut. He returned to Chelsea in 2017 after spending two years on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach in Germany, where he helped the team win the FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Champions League. He joined Barcelona in 2022, and in his first season there, he won La Liga.
In addition to playing for Denmark at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2020, 2022 World Cup, and Euro 2024, Christensen made his full international debut for the country in June 2015.
Religion
Andreas Christensen is reportedly a Christian even though he is not public about it.
7. Jules Koundé
French professional football player Jules Olivier Koundé was born on November 12, 1998. He plays for the France national team and one of FC Barcelona players as a right-back or center-back.
Koundé is a dual citizen of France and Benin, and his father is Beninese.
In December 2004, when he was six years old, he started playing football with the Fraternelle de Landiras club. In 2018, he became the football school’s patron. After that, he played for Olympique de Cérons in 2009–2010.
Koundé was raised by his mother. He claimed that when he was younger, he had trouble controlling his fury after seeing subpar play by his hometown team, saying, “I’d be in a foul mood all weekend; atrocious behaviour.” I kicked my poor mother because I was so furious.”
Religion
Koundé is reportedly a Christian even though he is not public about it.
8. Eric García
Born on January 9, 2001, Eric García Martret is a Spanish professional football player who is one of FC Barcelona players of La Liga and plays for the Spanish national team as a defensive midfielder or center-back.
At the age of 17, García relocated to Manchester City from Barcelona. On September 21, 2019, he made his Premier League debut. He finished second in the UEFA Champions League and won the league in his last season with the team. After his contract expired, García returned to Barcelona on a free transfer in June 2021.
Religion
Eric García is reportedly a Christian even though he is not public about it.
9. Gavi
Gavi, whose real name is Pablo Martín Páez Gavira, was born on August 5, 2004. He is a Spanish professional football player who plays central midfield for both the Spain national team and La Liga Club Barcelona.
During the 2022 Ballon d’Or event, France Football presented Gavi with the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy honor.
Religion
Gavi is reportedly a Christian even though he is not public about it.
10. Pedri
Born on November 25, 2002, Pedro González López, better known by his nickname Pedri, is a Spanish professional football player who plays midfield for the Spanish national team and one of FC Barcelona players academy graduate. He is regarded as one of the world’s top players.
When Pedri was three years old, his family relocated to Tegueste, a nearby town, from Bajamar, Tenerife, Canary Islands. When Pedri first joined UD Tegueste, he played center defense. Pedri joined Laguna at the age of 13, where he remained until 2018.
Religion
Though he has not made his religion a public thing, from the report gathered, Pedri is a Christian.
11. Pablo Torre
Spanish professional football player Pablo Torre Carral was born on April 3, 2003, and he plays attacking midfield for Barcelona in La Liga.
Esteban, Torre’s father, played football as a midfielder as well. He spent the majority of his career as a Racing representative.
Religion
Though he has not made his religion a public thing, from the report gathered, Pablo Torre is a Christian.
12. Fermín López
Born on May 11, 2003, Fermín López Marín is a Spanish professional football player who plays midfield for the Spanish national team and one of FC Barcelona players.
López, who was born in El Campillo, Huelva, Andalusia, started playing football with his hometown team, CD FB El Campillo. He then played for Recreativo de Huelva for a while until joining Real Betis in 2012. He transferred to Barcelona’s development academy in the summer of 2016.
Religion
Though this may be considered private by some, he is a Christian from reports gathered.
13. Marc Casadó
Spanish professional football player Marc Casadó Torras was born on September 14, 2003. He plays defensive midfield for both the Spanish national team and La Liga team Barcelona.
Coach Luis De La Fuente selected Casadó for the final 26-man roster for the UEFA Nations League games against Denmark and Switzerland on November 15 and 18, 2024, respectively. In the 70th minute of Spain’s 2-1 victory over Denmark, he made his debut by replacing Martín Zubimendi.
Religion
Though this may be considered private by some, Marc Casadó is a Christian from reports gathered.
14. Dani Olmo
Spanish professional football player Daniel Olmo Carvajal was born on May 7, 1998. He plays for Barcelona of La Liga and the Spanish national team as a left winger or attacking midfielder.
In 2015, Olmo made his professional debut for Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia following a stint at La Masia. He scored 34 goals in 124 games overall, helping the team win the league five times and the cup three times. Before returning to his boyhood club, Barcelona, in 2024, he joined RB Leipzig in 2020, where he won two DFB-Pokals in 2022 and 2023 and the 2023 DFL-Supercup, where he scored a hat-trick.
With the Spain under-21 squad, Olmo won the 2019 UEFA European Championship and took home a silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games. He made his senior international debut in 2019 and played for teams that won the 2023 UEFA Nations League and advanced to the UEFA Euro 2020 semifinals. He finished as the tournament’s joint-top scorer and played for Spain in the 2024 European Championship.
Religion
Though Dani Olmo is a Christian from reports gathered, it is not something that is publicly known.
15. Frenkie De Jong
Dutch professional football player Frenkie de Jong was born on May 12, 1997. He mostly plays as a midfielder for Barcelona of La Liga and the Netherlands national team.
In 2015, De Jong joined Willem II as a professional. A year later, he moved to Ajax for a paltry €1 fee. A sell-on clause compensated for the symbolic cost. After winning a domestic double and making it to the Champions League semi-finals, he made a name for himself at Ajax as one of the top young midfielders in Europe. De Jong was named Eredivisie player of the season, won the KNVB Cup and Eredivisie, and played a key role in Ajax’s historic 2018–19 campaign, which saw them make their first participation in the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 22 years.
De Jong agreed to sign with Barcelona in January 2019 during his breakthrough season, and the two parties signed him in July for a reported €75 million. De Jong was one of three Dutch players to be included in the 2019 FIFA FIFPro World11 for the first time in five years.
In September 2018, De Jong made his debut for the Netherlands as a senior international. He started in the first-ever UEFA Nations League, where the Netherlands came in second. Additionally, he played for the team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2020.
Religion
Though this may be considered private by some, Frenkie De Jong is a Christian from reports gathered.
16. Ferran Torres
Born on February 29, 2000, Ferran Torres García is a Spanish professional football player who plays for Barcelona of La Liga and the Spanish national team as a forward or winger.
In 2017, Torres made his senior debut at Valencia, where he started his career. He relocated to Manchester City in 2020, and during the 2020–21 season, he won both the Premier League and the EFL Cup. He left in January 2022 for Barcelona. He made his senior squad debut in 2020 and has played for Spain internationally at several younger levels.
Religion
His personal life is of utmost important to him, but we could gathered he his a Christian.
17. Robert Lewandowski
Born on August 21, 1988, Robert Lewandowski is a Polish professional football player who plays for Barcelona in the La Liga as a striker. Lewandowski, who is considered by many to be among the best attackers of all time, took home the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award in 2020 and 2021. The IFFHS World’s Best Player in 2020 and 2021, the European Golden Shoe for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, the Gerd Müller Trophy in 2021 and 2022, and the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award in 2020 are further honors. In 2021, he placed second for the Ballon d’Or. For club and country, he has scored more than 700 goals in his senior career.
Lewandowski started his career at Znicz Pruszków in the third and second divisions of Polish football before joining Lech Poznań in the top division, where he helped the team win the 2009–10 Ekstraklasa. He moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2010, where he earned the league’s best goalscorer award and two straight Bundesliga titles. He also played in the 2013 UEFA Champions League final with Dortmund. Lewandowski consented to sign a free transfer to Bayern Munich, Dortmund’s domestic rivals, before the 2014–15 season began.
He spent all eight of his seasons at Munich winning the Bundesliga, and he played a key role in the team’s treble-winning Champions League victory in 2019–20. Among other milestones, Lewandowski won the Bundesliga Top Scorer Award in a joint-record seven seasons and was voted the VDV Bundesliga Player of the Season a record five times before leaving Bayern as one of the most successful players in both Bundesliga and Bayern history.
Lewandowski relocated to Barcelona in 2022, where he won the Pichichi Trophy in his first season, the La Liga championship, and the Supercopa de España. With eight, he now shares the record for the most top scorer honors in Europe’s top five leagues.
His most successful season was during his third season in Spain, when Barcelona won the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España, giving them a domestic treble.
Lewandowski, a full international for Poland since 2008 and captain from 2014 to 2025, has amassed more than 150 caps. He played for Poland in the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022 as well as the UEFA European Championship in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. With 85 goals for his country, Lewandowski is the all-time leading scorer for Poland and the third-leading men’s international goal scorer in Europe, trailing only Romelu Lukaku (89) and Cristiano Ronaldo (138).
Lewandowski has won three Polish Sports Personality of the Year awards and a record twelve Polish Footballer of the Year honors.
Religion
It is well known that Polish professional football player Robert Lewandowski is a Catholic. Anna Lewandowska, his wife, is also a Catholic. They are both well-known for being pious and openly expressing their Catholic faith.
18. Raphinha
Born on December 14, 1996, Raphael Dias Belloli, also known as Raphinha, is a Brazilian professional football player who plays forward or winger for the Brazil national team and one of FC Barcelona players winger. He is regarded as one of the world’s top players.
Before joining the Portuguese Vitória de Guimarães in 2016, where he made his professional debut, Raphinha started his career with the Brazilian club Avaí. He joined Sporting CP, a team in the Primeira Liga, in 2018, and the two teams won the Taça da Liga and the Taça de Portugal titles in 2019.
Raphinha joined Spanish team Barcelona in 2022 for a €58 million (£50 million) deal after playing for Rennes and Leeds United. Raphinha had his breakout season in 2024–25, despite his initial struggles. He helped Barcelona achieve a domestic triple of the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de España, and he also finished as the top scorer in the Champions League.
Raphinha made his senior international debut in 2021 after never receiving a youth cap. He was included in Brazil’s teams at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Copa América.
Religion
Raphinha is a Christian, and Ballers In God on Instagram claims that his belief in Jesus influences his on-field play.
19. Pau Víctor
Born on November 26, 2001, Pau Víctor Delgado is a Spanish professional football player who plays for Barcelona in La Liga as a forward or winger.
Guillem, Victor’s younger brother, plays football as well. He is a right-back who plays for Barcelona’s youth teams.
Religion
Though this may be considered private by some, Pau Víctor is a Christian from reports gathered.
