Fans Claim Ronaldo Uttered “Bismillah” Before Penalty Kick

TORONTO: Cristiano Ronaldo has once again captured the attention of football fans worldwide, not only for scoring a goal, but also for allegedly uttering the word “Bismillah” before taking a penalty kick when helping Portugal defeat Croatia 2-1 in the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup.

Television footage showed the 41-year-old striker appearing to talk to himself a few moments before converting the penalty that levelled the score at 1-1 for Portugal.

Fans on social media then speculated that Ronaldo uttered the word “Bismillah”, which means ‘In the name of Allah’ in Arabic, before taking the kick.

The action drew various reactions among supporters, with many describing it as a practice often performed by the player before taking important kicks.

However, if Ronaldo did indeed utter the word, there is a possibility that he was influenced by Islamic culture and society, given that the former Real Madrid player has been based in Saudi Arabia with club Al Nassr since 2023.

Nevertheless, there has been no official confirmation from Ronaldo as to whether he truly uttered the word, while discussions among fans continue to rage on social media.

AGENSI