French-Moroccan footballer Romain Saiss on Ramadan: 'It's only between you and God'

Wolverhampton Wanderers defender says he focuses on training and playing as usual even while fasting

French-Moroccan Romain Saiss of Wolverhampton Wanderers is observing Ramadan this month. Getty Images

Premier League footballer Romain Saiss describes Ramadan as the best time to ask God for forgiveness for mistakes and to spend time with family.

The French-Moroccan player was asked in an interview with BBC3 to explain the holy month to people who might not understand what it was.

Saiss is fasting for Ramadan but says that he never adjusts his training schedule or attitude – even if, as the presenter RamboFYI suggested, he has to deal with the England and Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford running at him.

“Whatever the day, you have to take it as a normal day because if you start thinking, for example, that tomorrow I have a big training session and I’m fasting, it will be harder," he said on the BBC’s online MOTDx Sports programme.

"Mentally, you will go down. So, the point is to keep the same mentality."

The Wolverhampton Wanderers defender added that not everyone who observed the religious custom of abstaining from food and water during daylight hours approached it in the same way.

“Some people sleep all day," the 31-year-old said, laughing. "We are all different. It’s only between you and God.”

Saiss, who is also captain of the Moroccan national team, mentioned that the odd tempting cake or doughnut had been brought in to celebrate teammate birthdays, such as that of Leander Dendoncker this week.

He added, though, that he would never ask anyone to change things just for him. “So, he [Dendoncker] brought cakes but obviously I am not going to say to them: ‘Hey, don’t eat in front of me.’

"They respect me, I have to respect them.”

Other Muslim footballers who have publicly observed Ramadan include Liverpool players Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

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