Why cannot Muslims play football?

[mindlight]

Yesterday I was talking with an Iranian man who was a sports teacher in Iran before becoming a refugee. We were talking about sport and the conversation turned to why Iran had never won a world cup. As we discussed I realised that no Muslim country had ever won a world cup and that indeed the numbers of Muslim football stars was really low. So we discussed why that might be. It seems Iranian boys just like those in Britain or Germany play football in the school break but that has never translated into a serious chance of winning a world cup. It is not even really a lack of money to blame as the Saudis for instance spent a lot on their last world cup squad. Though generally infrastructure are limited in Muslim countries cause Muslim economies generally are poorer and their benefits unequally distributed. The ex teacher suggested a political reason that Muslim countries were more prohibitive on their prospects playing abroad with the benefits of cross fertilised skills and experiences that come from that. I suggested that religious reasons were probably more fundamental with Muslim countries being poorer, more oppressive and less inclined to grant the free development of hobbies like football.

Fact is Muslims are rubbish at football and the only countries to win the football world cup have been Christian majority countries? Why is that?

 

[Dansiph]

The muslims in my area are predominantly from Yemen. The shopkeeper in my local newsagents is always watching football on a laptop or listening to the quran. Supposedly football is popular in Yemen but the country is going through bad times atm so they're probably not playing much football, understandably.

Wrestling (freestyle and Graeco-Roman) is popular in Iran and they are always present in the top positions internationally. So it's not a case of them being unathletic or "bad at sports". I did speak to a man from Iran who said there is some corruption involved in international wrestling. Iranians are also famous for weightlifting as a side note.

I remember seeing an Afghan Women's team once also having some success? Also muslims from Russia have sucessful teams in Chechnya and Dagestan etc although again sports like boxing and wrestling are very popular there. I assume that this is why they are more successful in these areas especially in recent times as opposed to football.

I'm not sure about the political side tbh. Btw to my knoweldge Mohammed is said to have been a good wrestler and this is the source of it being a popular sport among many muslim nations and people.

 

[Dansiph]

Yesterday I was talking with an Iranian man who was a sports teacher in Iran before becoming a refugee. We were talking about sport and the conversation turned to why Iran had never won a world cup. As we discussed I realised that no Muslim country had ever won a world cup and that indeed the numbers of Muslim football stars was really low. So we discussed why that might be. It seems Iranian boys just like those in Britain or Germany play football in the school break but that has never translated into a serious chance of winning a world cup. It is not even really a lack of money to blame as the Saudis for instance spent a lot on their last world cup squad. Though generally infrastructure are limited in Muslim countries cause Muslim economies generally are poorer and their benefits unequally distributed. The ex teacher suggested a political reason that Muslim countries were more prohibitive on their prospects playing abroad with the benefits of cross fertilised skills and experiences that come from that. I suggested that religious reasons were probably more fundamental with Muslim countries being poorer, more oppressive and less inclined to grant the free development of hobbies like football.

Fact is Muslims are rubbish at football and the only countries to win the football world cup have been Christian majority countries? Why is that?

I forgot to write my message as a reply. I re read your post and I think you made a good point about free development of hobbies. Most of the muslims I know are hard-working and don't spend much time on hobbies really

 

[Godistruth1]

Yesterday I was talking with an Iranian man who was a sports teacher in Iran before becoming a refugee. We were talking about sport and the conversation turned to why Iran had never won a world cup. As we discussed I realised that no Muslim country had ever won a world cup and that indeed the numbers of Muslim football stars was really low. So we discussed why that might be. It seems Iranian boys just like those in Britain or Germany play football in the school break but that has never translated into a serious chance of winning a world cup. It is not even really a lack of money to blame as the Saudis for instance spent a lot on their last world cup squad. Though generally infrastructure are limited in Muslim countries cause Muslim economies generally are poorer and their benefits unequally distributed. The ex teacher suggested a political reason that Muslim countries were more prohibitive on their prospects playing abroad with the benefits of cross fertilised skills and experiences that come from that. I suggested that religious reasons were probably more fundamental with Muslim countries being poorer, more oppressive and less inclined to grant the free development of hobbies like football.

Fact is Muslims are rubbish at football and the only countries to win the football world cup have been Christian majority countries? Why is that?

You were not serious when u wrote that, were u?

 

[timewerx]

Didn't sports originate from the heathens??

So why are we arguing which religion is better at an activity invented by the heathens??

Mind you, I used to play sports. But only strictly for the health benefits. I never played competitively, nor took it seriously for that would be wrong. I don't even watch TV so I really don't care, other than keeping fit.

Competition is not really a Christian practice, nor an attitude to keep. Read the Parable of the workers in the vineyard. Christ Himself, does not promote competition.

 

[Dansiph]

Didn't sports originate from the heathens??

So why are we arguing which religion is better at an activity invented by the heathens??

Mind you, I used to play sports. But only strictly for the health benefits. I never played competitively, nor took it seriously for that would be wrong. I don't even watch TV so I really don't care, other than keeping fit.

Competition is not really a Christian practice, nor an attitude to keep. Read the Parable of the workers in the vineyard. Christ Himself, does not promote competition.

Just because a heathen invents something or does something does not make it wrong surely?

Also what is wrong about taking sports seriously? Or with compeition? Competition can be friendly and mostly improves relationships.

 

[timewerx]

Just because a heathen invents something or does something does not make it wrong surely?

Also what is wrong about taking sports seriously? Or with compeition? Competition can be friendly and mostly improves relationships.

Yes, relationships and exercise. That's about the only reason I play sports.

Otherwise, I try not to put my heart into it too much. Have you read 1 John 2:15-17?

 

[Lost4words]

Being good, or bad, at football has nothing to do with what religion you are!

 

[Dansiph]

Yes, relationships and exercise. That's about the only reason I play sports.

Otherwise, I try not to put my heart into it too much. Have you read 1 John 2:15-17?

I get what you mean and I have read 1 John. Hopefully I am not decieving myself when I say that taking a sport seriously (for me) does not equal loving it. I don't see it as loving the things of this world.

I was maybe a bit confrontational in my last post, sorry. I've been trying to cement whether sports are acceptable and I keep getting unhelpful and what I feel to be judgemental answers. To be clear your answer was fine but I think I'd built up a reaction which you got the brunt of

 

[tampasteve]

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[SkyWriting]

Yesterday I was talking with an Iranian man who was a sports teacher in Iran before becoming a refugee. We were talking about sport and the conversation turned to why Iran had never won a world cup. As we discussed I realised that no Muslim country had ever won a world cup and that indeed the numbers of Muslim football stars was really low. So we discussed why that might be. It seems Iranian boys just like those in Britain or Germany play football in the school break but that has never translated into a serious chance of winning a world cup. It is not even really a lack of money to blame as the Saudis for instance spent a lot on their last world cup squad. Though generally infrastructure are limited in Muslim countries cause Muslim economies generally are poorer and their benefits unequally distributed. The ex teacher suggested a political reason that Muslim countries were more prohibitive on their prospects playing abroad with the benefits of cross fertilised skills and experiences that come from that. I suggested that religious reasons were probably more fundamental with Muslim countries being poorer, more oppressive and less inclined to grant the free development of hobbies like football.

Fact is Muslims are rubbish at football and the only countries to win the football world cup have been Christian majority countries? Why is that?

If your government is based on treating others the way you would want to be treated, then you get to keep your money and your family members are less likely to be put to death. This is good financially and you have more time and money for hobbies and sports.
In general.

 

[High Fidelity]

Yesterday I was talking with an Iranian man who was a sports teacher in Iran before becoming a refugee. We were talking about sport and the conversation turned to why Iran had never won a world cup. As we discussed I realised that no Muslim country had ever won a world cup and that indeed the numbers of Muslim football stars was really low. So we discussed why that might be. It seems Iranian boys just like those in Britain or Germany play football in the school break but that has never translated into a serious chance of winning a world cup. It is not even really a lack of money to blame as the Saudis for instance spent a lot on their last world cup squad. Though generally infrastructure are limited in Muslim countries cause Muslim economies generally are poorer and their benefits unequally distributed. The ex teacher suggested a political reason that Muslim countries were more prohibitive on their prospects playing abroad with the benefits of cross fertilised skills and experiences that come from that. I suggested that religious reasons were probably more fundamental with Muslim countries being poorer, more oppressive and less inclined to grant the free development of hobbies like football.

Fact is Muslims are rubbish at football and the only countries to win the football world cup have been Christian majority countries? Why is that?

Countries where particular sports aren't common aren't regularly contenders on the world stage? Is that really shocking?

I don't bake often so I wouldn't expect to win a baking competition. It has nothing to do with faith.