Cameroon football star Patrick Mboma converts to Islam, changes name to Abdul Jalil

The two-time winner of the African Cup of Nations publicly converted to Islam last week.

1 min read

16 May, 2022

Mboma was one of Cameroon's most successful players [Getty]

Cameroon football star Patrick Mboma has converted from Christianity to Islam and changed his name to Abdul Jalil Mboma, according to local media reports.

Mboma proclaimed his new faith to a packed Bonamoussadi mosque in Doula, Cameroon on Friday, Muslim Voice reported.

Former Cameroonian footballer Patrick Mboma reverted to Islam today. He took Shahadah today at the Bonamoussadi mosque in Douala. The one affectionately called "Magic" is now called Abdul Jalil Mboma. pic.twitter.com/5nOlBiM1uy
— Hamza Hassan (@HH_motivation) May 13, 2022

The two-time African Cup of Nations winner, aged 51, was an all-time top scorer for Cameroon and was awarded the African Footballer of the Year award in 2000.

He also led Cameroon to an Olympic gold medal in 2000, the nation's first.

He played for Paris Saint-Germain and Italian clubs Cagliari and Parma, among others.

Mboma is one of many footballers to convert to Islam in recent years.

France star Franck Ribery converted to Islam in 2002 and more recently Germany's Danny Blum also changed religions from Christianity.