Renato Veiga, the 20 year old versatile player from Portugal was bought by Chelsea from Swiss side Basel in the summer window. The Portuguese signed a 7 year deal with the Blues who paid €14m for him.
We say versatile because Veiga can be deployed in a number of positions on the pitch. Known primarily as a left-back, he can also slot into defensive midfield and center back.
It is probably this versatility and of course, the long term deal that has earned him a place in new manager Enzo Maresca’s plans. While minutes are slim for Veiga it is still admirable as Maresca has shown little hesitation in sidelining players who don’t fit his tactical vision. For a youngster like Veiga, being part of such a selective squad speaks volumes about his potential.
Veiga got his start from left back against Gent in Chelsea’s group stage opener of the Conference League and he did not disappoint. He showcased his attacking threat, bagging a goal and an assist to help Chelsea win 4-2 at home.
The defender celebrated his goal with passion, joyfully ramping up the crowd’s cheers before pointing to the sky and then going down on his knees and kissing the ground, in what looks to be a gesture for a prayer.
This particular aspect of his celebration led to immediate online discussions, with some fans questioning if Renato Veiga is Muslim, as Muslim players such as Mohamed Salah have frequently celebrated goals by going down and touching their heads to the ground.
Renato Veiga is known to be quite religious, with posts on social media believing that he’s often seen praying before stepping onto the field.
Fans were quick to jump onto the theory of Veiga being Muslim and also tried to back it up with the fact that Veiga is a polyglot. He knows how to speak 5 different languages and one of them happens to be Arabic, a detail that many fans point to as potential evidence of a connection to Islam.
Despite these speculations, it is important to consider the context of his background, his birthplace and his upbringing when trying to figure out his faith.
Portugal, where Veiga was born and raised, is a predominantly Catholic country, with over 80% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic.
Veiga’s family, his father Nelson Veiga, a former footballer, and his mother Tania Palma, are known to come from a Christian background. It’s likely that Renato was raised with Catholic values, especially given the cultural environment of Portugal, where Catholic traditions and religious celebrations hold the majority.
While Veiga’s celebratory gesture might resemble a Muslim prayer pose, it’s worth noting that even amongst Catholics kneeling is a common posture of devotion during prayer.
This could explain why Veiga went down on his knees after his goal, linking back to his likely upbringing in a Catholic household.
There are also pictures of Veiga and his family celebrating Christmas, while this doesn’t serve as substantive evidence, it adds a little more to the idea that he’s Catholic and not Muslim. The counter to this very argument is that Mohamad Salah also has pictures with his family celebrating Christmas.
While there are many fan-driven rumors about Renato Veiga’s possible connection to Islam, the evidence remains largely speculative. His celebration could be interpreted in various ways, influenced by different religious customs, but the lack of direct confirmation about his faith leaves room for ambiguity.
Based on his Portuguese heritage, Christian upbringing, and family background, it seems likely that Veiga was raised with Catholic values.
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