Dribbling Divides Football, Islam, and Identity

Dribbling Divides: Football, Islam, and Identity offers a compelling view of how global football intersects with Muslim identity, faith, and politics in an era shaped by migration, digital media, and rising populism. Drawing from rich case studies of elite Muslim footballers, this book examines how players navigate racism, Islamophobia, and national belonging while maintaining visible piety and engaging in activism. From fasting on match days to taking public stands on global Muslim issues, these athletes challenge dominant narratives about loyalty, integration, and modernity. Sociologist Kamaludeen Nasir brings a unique perspective as both a football fan and a scholar, offering insights into the lived realities of Muslim players in Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. He unpacks how club ownership, digital performance, gender politics, and faith-based practices shape the contemporary sporting landscape. By shifting the analytical gaze from fans to players, Dribbling Divides invites readers to see football not just as entertainment, but as a site of negotiation, resistance, and reimagined identity.

Kamaludeen Nasir is Professor of Sociology at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in Washington DC where he was Professor and the Malaysia Chair of Islam in Southeast Asia. He has been a visiting scholar at New York University, the University of California Los Angeles, The Graduate Center (City University of New York), the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and the Australian Catholic University.