Roberto Carlos says he did not convert to Islam after marriage

SAN PAULO, Aug 20: Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos has rejected widespread reports that he converted to Islam following his recent marriage to Moroccan football agent Souhaila El Tahiri, saying that he has “the utmost respect” for the religion but that the conversion claims are untrue.

The 53‑year‑old former Real Madrid and Brazil left‑back said the rumours that he embraced Islam after reciting the Shahada were false. While acknowledging his admiration for Islam and saying it was “wonderful to see my wife praying,” Carlos said he and El Tahiri organised different wedding ceremonies to respect the religious beliefs of both families: his relatives are Catholic, and his wife’s family and friends are Muslim.

The reports of a conversion circulated widely after images from the couple’s wedding celebrations appeared on social media and after Turkish lawmaker Ali Şahin said he had been told by representatives of Brazil’s Muslim community that Carlos had recited the Shahada during a meeting with Sheikh Jihad Hamada, a prominent figure in Brazil’s Muslim community. Şahin publicly congratulated the former international on what he described as Carlos’s adoption of Islam, and some outlets published quotes attributed to Carlos saying Cristiano Ronaldo had congratulated him.

Carlos’s statement to Okaz directly contradicts those accounts. He denied having converted and criticised the spread of inaccurate reports, while reiterating respect for his wife’s faith and explaining the dual ceremonies were intended to accommodate both families.

Carlos also recounted how he and El Tahiri first met — in a football‑related business meeting — and described her as a successful businesswoman. The couple have been together for about two years, and El Tahiri is a FIFA‑licensed agent involved in player management and football projects.

Roberto Carlos is widely regarded as one of the greatest left‑backs in football history. He enjoyed the most celebrated years of his club career with Real Madrid, was a key member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup‑winning squad, and later played for Fenerbahçe between 2007 and 2009, maintaining strong ties to Turkish football. The conflicting reports about his religious status appear to have stemmed from third‑party accounts and social‑media images; his denial to Okaz is the most recent direct comment on the matter.