Former Arsenal defender Kolo Toure believes that fasting and playing football matches during Ramadan made him mentally tougher.
As Ramadan approaches, Muslim players in the Premier League will again observe fasting from food and drink during daylight, from March 1st to March 30th.
Toure, who had a successful Premier League career with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool, stated that he never missed a day of fasting while playing. He felt it strengthened him mentally, despite the physical challenge of abstaining from food and water.
In an exclusive interview, he mentioned, “It’s hard to explain, but it made me feel very psychologically strong, and as Ramadan progressed, my fitness improved.”
He acknowledged the increased support from clubs for players observing Ramadan, saying, “With the great support clubs now provide, it’s much easier.”
Toure, currently an assistant coach for Manchester City’s under-16s, noted that greater global awareness has led Premier League clubs to be more understanding and supportive of players during Ramadan.
He added, “In the past, not everyone understood the significance of this month for players. But now, people are becoming more accustomed to it.”
“For me, and for most Muslim players I knew, it was simply part of who we are, something we had to do. It became ingrained in us.”
“Regardless of where we played, we observed Ramadan. Personally, I loved this month.”
Recently, The Football Association’s guidelines for the fifth round stated that “Players observing Ramadan will be allowed a brief pause in play to break their fast.”
This was evident when Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui and Fulham’s Adama Traore utilized this rule to break their fast during a recent FA Cup game.
In 2022, former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel suggested that N’Golo Kanté’s performance might have been affected by fasting.
Tuchel substituted Kanté at halftime during a Champions League match against Real Madrid, marking the first time the midfielder had been substituted so early in a game.
Tuchel commented, “He is fasting due to his faith, and while he is accustomed to it, not eating all day can have an impact.”
“It might explain why he wasn’t at his peak compared to his performance against Real Madrid last season.”
