While many of the World Cup’s competing nations are wracked by social divisions, some of their teams offer strikingly positive examples of how players from different backgrounds and religious faiths can cooperate closely in pursuit of a common goal.
The phenomenon is particularly notable among Western European teams, which for most of soccer’s history were overwhelmingly white and Christian. As those societies have increasingly diversified, so have the national team rosters — featuring Christian and Muslim players who are open about their faith.
