Networking Nmecha: Player pushes back criticism of religious cheer
On the pitch of Borussia Dortmund, Felix Nmecha again performed the gesture in which he removes an imaginary crown from his head and kneels to lay it down. The 26‑year‑old defended the celebration and said that in his faith he does not want to exclude anyone. In an Instagram story he wrote that he does not want to put himself or any organization in the foreground.
Celebratory Gesture and Religious Context
He added that it was about laying his “crown” before the soon‑coming king and thereby pointing to Jesus as his hope and strength. Nmecha emphasized that his message should never promote intolerance, discrimination or hatred. The gesture is a form of expression that is part of the “The King’s Return” campaign and is associated with the evangelical network “Ballers in God”. The organization “Ballers in God”, founded in 2015, spreads such actions via social media.
The network is described as Christian‑fundamentalist, homophobic and queer‑phobic. On Sunday the fan and support department of Borussia Dortmund criticised Nmecha and the network because he repeated the gesture after his goals in the 2:1 victory over SV Elversberg. The criticism was explicitly not directed at Nmecha’s Christian faith.
Criticism and Fan Reactions
The fan department stated that its rejection is aimed at religious networks that, under the guise of faith, spread a worldview in which people are devalued or excluded because of sexual orientation, gender identity, lifestyle or personal decisions. On the campaign website a chat service of the US organization Groundwire was linked. In a chat with MONITOR reporters, abortion was called “Satan’s plan”.
In a sample chat for counseling, the question was answered affirmatively whether it is a sin to be lesbian. The fan department emphasized that it may not be dismissed as “mere private religious practice” when a professional’s reach is deliberately used for proselytising. It added that where religious convictions are used to deny people their dignity or equality, tolerance towards intolerance ends for the club.
Borussia Dortmund announced a conversation with Nmecha. National team coach Jürgen Klopp had already spoken with the 26‑year‑old in the national team’s training camp in Herzogenaurach, as reported by the DPA. The content or details of the discussion are not yet known. Nmecha stressed in his statement that, as Christians, the message is a message of love and respect towards every person, regardless of origin, faith or worldview.
In the past Nmecha had been criticised for evangelical content in social networks that were judged as homophobic or queer‑phobic. He had already previously rejected these accusations. At the 2026 World Cup, after the German national team’s 7‑1 victory over Curaçao, Nmecha again performed the gesture, which sparked further debate. After the match in Houston he prayed together with several players from both teams on the pitch.