Players have a lot to deal with this World Cup. The heat, the pressure of a nation, tiredness, and fatigue, but for a select few, there’s one more thing that they need to contend with – the holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan started on the 29th of June and is affecting players that made it to the knockout stages. Players like Karim Benzema, Mamadou Sakho, Paul Pogba, Bacary Sagna and Moussa Sissoko of France, Germany’s Sami Khedira and Belgium’s Mousa Dembele, Marouane Fellaini, Eden Hazard and Adnan Januzaj: and the whole Algeria team all had the dilemma whether they take on the 12 hour fasts in Brazil.

With fasting consisting of giving up eating and drinking during hours of sunlight. the obvious concern for the players and the managers are if they will be able to play to their level best in the heat and humidity. They are involved in a knockout tournament that, to win, needs every player to be at the top of their game.

Some players have opted to come out openly and say they will not be fasting whilst they remain in the competition. Germany’s Mesut Ozil told German sports magazine Kicker “I can’t do it because of my job here, and I’d like to think the Algerians will do it just like me, we would risk our health by not drinking or eating. And that would also not be consistent with the Quran.”

France’s Bacary Sagna will also not be fasting as he said “As a Muslim I know that there are certain rules that allow us to avoid it, personally I’m not going to do it, everyone’s free to do as they will and I totally respect those that will do it.”

Some scholars around the world have given their backing like the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, who themselves went to the Islamic Al-Azhar academy in Cairo for their backing, which they received as they issued a statement saying that ‘fast breaking’ is allowed for professional footballers.

Some of the Algeria squad did keep the fast in their round of 16 match against Germany. Stories circulated around the web stating that keeper Rais M’Bolhi had indeed kept the fast and was seen tucking into a pack of dates and snacks on his walk to the dressing room after the half time whistle. M’Bolhi put on an impressive display against the Germans as they took them to extra time before his goal was inevitably breached.

M’Bohli’s display shows us it is possible to keep a fast and play to your best, but it is a difficult situation to be in for the Muslim players as they have the weight of expectation of their country, manager and fellow players on one shoulder and their conscience, religious followers, and moral stand point on the other.