During a Ligue 1 match between FC Nantes and Le Havre AC on February 22, goalkeeper Anthony Lopes appeared to deliberately go down injured to allow several of his Muslim teammates to break their Ramadan fast.
The incident took place in the 74th minute at the Stade de la Beaujoire, with Nantes leading 2-0. Lopes fell to the ground holding his left thigh, prompting medical staff to enter the pitch and causing a temporary stoppage in play.
During the pause, multiple Ramadan-observing Nantes players moved to the sideline to drink water and eat dates at sunset. Among the Muslim starters that day were Youssef El-Arabi, Ali Al-Musrati and Mostafa Mohamed. Once they had broken their fast, Lopes stood up and resumed play without showing signs of injury.
Nantes went on to win the match 2-0.
Portuguese goalkeeper Anthony Lopes pretended to be injured during a Ligue 1 match so his Muslim teammates could break their fast during Ramadan.
Under the current rules of the Ligue de Football Professionnel and the French Football Federation (FFF), Ligue 1 matches are not… pic.twitter.com/F24kmHdCKu
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) February 25, 2026
France’s strict position on Ramadan breaks
People absolutely loved it on social media. Lopes’s gesture was widely praised, with everyone calling his move a class act for his teammates.
The moment also renewed debate over the position of the French Football Federation, which blatantly forbids official match interruptions for religious reasons. The FFF maintains that such pauses would conflict with its rules on neutrality and secularism in sport.
This stance contrasts with other major European leagues, including England’s Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga, and the Netherlands’ Eredivisie, where brief natural stoppages are commonly used to allow fasting players to hydrate at sunset.
Read also: Muslim Football Players Fasting for Ramadan 2026 in Europe’s top Leagues
