Turkish media reports have revealed that Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos has converted to Islam, following a career filled with achievements with Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team, in addition to his previous stint with Fenerbahçe.
According to news published by several Turkish newspapers, including Haberler, Roberto Carlos, who is 53 years old, converted to Islam about four weeks ago after reciting the two testimonies of faith (Shahada) during a meeting with Sheikh Jihad Hamadeh, a well-known figure in the Islamic community in Brazil.
What happened?
According to the circulating account, Roberto Carlos had been in contact with Sheikh Jihad Hamadeh for some time before visiting him in Brazil about four weeks ago.
Sosyal medya hesabından paylaştı"Efsane futbolcu Roberto Carlos Müslüman oldu" https://t.co/mNlS9t3ZiC pic.twitter.com/H2HBPPQaNr@ulketv
During the meeting, the former Real Madrid star is said to have recited the two testimonies of faith, declaring his choice of Islam.
As of now, according to the circulating information, no direct statement has been issued by Roberto Carlos confirming his conversion to Islam, leaving the news in the realm of claims that require official confirmation from the player himself.
Turkish MP reveals details
The spread of these claims was further fueled by a post from Ali Şahin, a member of parliament for Turkey's Justice and Development Party, who spoke about a meeting he had with several representatives of the Islamic community in Brazil.
Şahin said on his "X" account that he met with Sheikh Jihad Hamadeh, who resides in São Paulo, during a visit to the Brazilian Islamic Charity for Muslim Youth, noting that Hamadeh is listed among the 500 most influential figures in the Islamic world.
Brezilya’da İslam Toplumları Temsilcileri İle Bir Araya GeldikEfsane Futbolcu Roberto CARLOS Müslüman Oldu…Brezilya’nın São Paulo şehrinde yaşayan ve İslam coğrafyasının en etkili 500 isminden biri olarak gösterilen Sheikh Jihad Hammadeh ile Brezilya İslami Hayırsever… pic.twitter.com/usYFJXdpgZ@AliSahin501
The Turkish MP added that Sheikh Hamadeh informed him that Roberto Carlos, whom he described as one of the legends of Brazilian and world football and a former Fenerbahçe player, had been in contact with him for a long time before visiting him four weeks ago, reciting the two testimonies of faith, and choosing Islam.
Şahin extended his congratulations to Roberto Carlos, wishing him and his family "a life full of peace, health, and blessing."
Roberto Carlos marries Moroccan Souhila Tahiri
These claims come after images of Roberto Carlos contracting his marriage to Moroccan Souhila Tahiri spread across social media platforms.
Previous reports had revealed his marriage to Souhila Tahiri, a Spanish national of Moroccan origin who is a FIFA-licensed player agent and works in the field of managing players' professional careers and football-related projects.
Although images of their wedding ceremony have circulated again on August 17 of this month, their marriage was not a new event, as information about it had emerged since last January, before the couple held a limited wedding ceremony on July 25 of last month, attended by family members and close friends.
Roberto Carlos enters the golden cage 💍❤ The Real Madrid and Brazil legend marries Moroccan-Lebanese businesswoman and player agent Souhila Tahiri ✨🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/HbVoJ0oUDx@GoalAR
Reports indicate that the relationship between Roberto Carlos and Souhila Tahiri began in a professional context before later developing into a personal relationship, amid their continued collaboration on several projects related to managing players' businesses and careers between Brazil and Europe.
Roberto Carlos is considered one of the most prominent defenders in football history, having made his name with Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team before undergoing an experience in Turkey with Fenerbahçe, keeping his name strongly present in the memory of fans around the world.
As the news of his conversion to Islam continues to circulate, official confirmation from Roberto Carlos himself remains the deciding factor in settling the truth of these reports.
