Fez — Roberto Carlos has denied reports that he converted to Islam, directly addressing speculation that spread following his marriage to Moroccan football agent Souhaila Ettahiri.
The former Brazil and “Real Madrid” star told Saudi newspaper “Okaz” on August 19 that reports claiming he had recently embraced Islam were false.
Carlos said he holds Islam in the highest respect and enjoys seeing his wife practice her faith. However, he made his position on the conversion claims clear, saying that “the rumors circulating about me converting to Islam are not true.”
He also explained that his wedding included different ceremonies to accommodate the religious beliefs of both families. Carlos said members of his family are Catholic, while Ettahiri and several of her friends are Muslim.
How the conversion rumor started
Claims about Carlos embracing Islam spread rapidly on August 18 after Turkish politician Ali Şahin relayed an account from Sheikh Jihad Hammadeh, a Muslim religious figure based in Brazil.
Şahin claimed Hammadeh had told him that Carlos visited him approximately four weeks earlier and recited the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith. Several outlets subsequently reported the claim while noting that Carlos himself had not confirmed it.
Speculation intensified after photographs from Carlos and Ettahiri’s wedding showed a Muslim religious figure participating in the ceremony. Those images were widely interpreted online as evidence that Carlos had converted, although the ceremony itself did not establish that.
Another image purporting to show Carlos wearing Islamic clothing also circulated online. A fact-check found that the image was likely generated using artificial intelligence and had no credible original source.
Carlos’ comments to “Okaz” now provide the direct denial that was missing while those reports circulated.
