Brazilian footballer Kathleen Souza celebrates embracing Islam with Umrah

2026-02-18 - 19:03

LONDON – Brazilian female footballer Kathleen Souza embraced Islam; the internationally recognised sportsperson is in Saudi Arabia for Umrah, leaving fans and teammates in awe. Fans and fellow athletes are celebrating this extraordinary milestone, hailing Katheleen’s moment of inspiration as she finds inner peace on world’s biggest spiritual stage. The news broke when Saudi Arabian football club Al-Nassr officially announced on Tuesday that their Brazilian star, Kathleen Souza, had converted to Islam. The club celebrated the historic moment with full joy, honoring the player’s spiritual journey. Al-Nassr warmly welcomed Kathleen Souza into the fold of Islam, with her teammates joining in the celebration of this deeply personal and transformative chapter of her life. Following her conversion, the football sensation made her way to Masjid al-Haram, performing Umrah and embracing the spiritual significance of her new faith. Sharing the moment with the world, the club posted a video on their official X (formerly Twitter) platform, saying: “We are sharing a special moment in the life of our player Kathleen Souza. We pray to God to grant her steadfastness and fill her heart with peace and tranquility.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by سيدات النصر | AlNassr Ladies (@alnassrfcw) The video captured a profoundly emotional side of the international athlete. Struggling to hold back tears, Kathleen Souza spoke candidly: “I was simply looking for the right path and wanted to adopt a better version of myself.” Kathellen is centre back who captains Al-Nassr in the Saudi Women’s Premier League and represents the Brazil national team. Growing up in Baixada Santista, she started in futsal before pursuing opportunities in the U.S. college system with Monroe College, Louisville Cardinals, and UCF Knights. She started her professional career with FC Girondins de Bordeaux, later playing for Inter Milan and Real Madrid before joining Al-Nassr in 2024. She made her Brazil senior debut in 2018 and became a regular starter at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, impressing in the Round of 16 against France as the youngest Brazilian on the field.