Footwork and Faith

FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, has allowed women to wear head scarves during play since 2014, with the first hijab-wearing player competing in the Women’s World Cup in 2023. But for years, despite a strong backlash, France’s soccer federation has barred players from wearing conspicuous religious symbols or clothing like hijabs during matches. It says the rule, upheld in 2023 by France’s top court, complies with the nation’s strict secular values. France doesn’t allow people to wear religious garb such as head scarves, yarmulkes, or large crosses in public institutions such as schools and government buildings (see “In France, Keep Your Religion to Yourself,” below).

Although the ban is loosely enforced at the amateur level, it has hung over the most observant Muslim players for years, shattering their hopes of professional careers and driving some from the game altogether. When Paris hosted last year’s Summer Olympics, France’s athletes weren’t allowed to wear the hijab, a contrast with International Olympic Committee rules, which don’t ban religious head coverings.

FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, has allowed women to wear head scarves during play since 2014. The first hijab-wearing player competed in the Women’s World Cup in 2023. But for years, despite a strong backlash, France’s soccer federation has prohibited players from wearing visible religious symbols or clothing like hijabs during matches. In 2023 France’s highest court upheld the rule. It complies with the nation’s strict secular values. France doesn’t allow people to wear religious dress such as head scarves, yarmulkes, or large crosses in public institutions. This includes schools and government buildings (see “In France, Keep Your Religion to Yourself,” below).

The ban is loosely enforced at amateur levels. But it has hung over the most observant Muslim players for years. The ban ended their hopes of professional careers and drove some from the game altogether. When Paris hosted last year’s Summer Olympics, France’s athletes weren’t allowed to wear the hijab. This is in sharp contrast with International Olympic Committee rules, which don’t ban religious head coverings.

Boussaha’s earliest memory is chasing a ball with her older brother when she was 3, in the city stadium near their family’s apartment. She kept playing after school and honed her skills in neighborhood games with boys and men.

At 13, she was recruited to join an academy at Paris Saint-Germain, or P.S.G., one of the best teams in women’s soccer. She was the youngest in the program but quickly became team captain.

“She was the undisputed group leader,” says Pierre-Yves Bodineau, who recruited her for P.S.G. But she had some rough edges. “When she lost, she tended to lose her temper,” he says. “She has this thirst to succeed.”

A year after her professional debut for the club, she helped it win the French Cup. But her swift rise came to a halt when, during her first match of the 2020-21 season, she fractured a bone in her left foot. The bone healed, only to shatter again, a cycle that was repeated several times. At 22, she quit and moved back in with her parents to focus on her physical recovery.

At home, she went to the mosque to pray, a ritual she’d missed. The freedom to fast without fearing she’d faint at training sessions was also a relief. During prayers, she was reminded of why wearing the hijab matters to her.

“It expresses my commitment to my community and spiritual values as a Muslim woman,” she says.

Boussaha’s earliest memory is chasing a ball with her older brother. When she was 3 years old, her family lived in an apartment near the city stadium. She kept playing after school and refined her skills in neighborhood games with boys and men.

At 13, she was recruited to join an academy at Paris Saint-Germain, or P.S.G. The club is one of the best teams in women’s soccer. She was the youngest in the program but quickly became team captain.

“She was the undisputed group leader,” says Pierre-Yves Bodineau, who recruited her for P.S.G. But she had some rough edges. “When she lost, she tended to lose her temper,” he says. “She has this thirst to succeed.”

A year after her professional debut for the club, she helped it win the French Cup. But her quick rise came to a halt. During her first match of the 2020-21 season, she fractured a bone in her left foot. The bone healed, only to break again. The cycle was repeated several times. At 22, she quit. She had to move back in with her parents to focus on her physical recovery.

At home, she went to the mosque to pray. She realized she’d missed the ritual and the freedom to fast without fearing she’d faint during training. While praying, she was reminded of why wearing the hijab matters to her.

“It expresses my commitment to my community and spiritual values as a Muslim woman,” she says.

But it wasn’t until she stumbled upon the Instagram account of the fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first woman to wear a hijab while competing for the U.S. in the Olympics, that she decided to honor both the athlete and Muslim in her. That’s when she ordered the two Nike hijabs. When she was finally ready to play again, she wanted to find a team that would allow her to play wearing the hijab. France was not an option, she knew.

“Very few girls play like Lina, but the veil, unfortunately, a piece of fabric, prevents her from playing in France,” says Bodineau.

Boussaha had reached out to clubs in Sweden and Turkey, but as negotiations stalled, she says, she began to accept the end of her career. Then, in December 2022, her agent called with an unexpected offer from Al Nassr, a club in Saudi Arabia that had recently established a women’s team, part of the country’s efforts to use sports to help it modernize.

“When I saw her play, I saw her quality,” says Aziz Alalwni, the team’s coach. “When someone gives up something and returns, they will do everything to be strong.”

She decided to honor both the athlete and Muslim in her when she came upon the Instagram account of the fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. (Muhammad is the first woman to wear a hijab while competing for the U.S. in the Olympics.) Boussaha ordered two Nike hijabs. After she healed, she decided to find a team that would allow her to play wearing the hijab. She knew France was not an option.

“Very few girls play like Lina, but the veil, unfortunately, a piece of fabric, prevents her from playing in France,” says Bodineau.

Boussaha had reached out to clubs in Sweden and Turkey, but negotiations stalled. She says she began to accept the end of her career. Then, in December 2022, her agent called. She had an unexpected offer from Al Nassr. The club in Saudi Arabia had recently established a women’s team as part of the country’s efforts to use sports to help it modernize.

“When I saw her play, I saw her quality,” says Aziz Alalwni, the team’s coach. “When someone gives up something and returns, they will do everything to be strong.”

After joining Al Nassr as a midfielder, Boussaha played a pivotal role in the team’s becoming the first Saudi Women’s Premier League champions. In 2023, she received an invitation to play in the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, for Algeria’s national team —which she led to the quarterfinals for the first time in its history. In July, she joined Al Ittihad, another Saudi club, for a three-season contract.

She acknowledges she’s not playing at a level she could have achieved with a French club, or elsewhere in Europe, but she appreciates the new community she’s found.

“It’s really about playing with my veil again and being in a club surrounded by girls playing soccer,” Boussaha says.

Farid Benstiti, the French-born coach of the Algeria women’s national team, says that if France “allowed players to wear the hijab,” Boussaha “might be in France again or a country that would allow her to showcase all her talent.”

During last year’s Ramadan, after the sun descended in the sky over Khobar, a Saudi city along the Persian Gulf where Boussaha was living, she broke her fast with dates and milk. She then headed to the mosque to pray before showing up at the soccer field for practice.

Boussaha joined Al Nassr as a midfielder. She played a pivotal role in the team’s becoming the first Saudi Women’s Premier League champions. In 2023, she received an invitation to play in the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, for Algeria’s national team. She led the team to the quarterfinals for the first time in its history. In July she signed a three-season contract with Al Ittihad, another Saudi club.

She knows she’s not playing at a level she could have reached with a French club, or elsewhere in Europe, but she appreciates the new community she’s found.

“It’s really about playing with my veil again and being in a club surrounded by girls playing soccer,” Boussaha says.

Farid Benstiti, the French-born coach of the Algeria women’s national team, says that if France “allowed players to wear the hijab,” Boussaha “might be in France again or a country that would allow her to showcase all her talent.”

During last year’s Ramadan, the sun descended in the sky over Khobar, a Saudi city along the Persian Gulf where Boussaha was living. She broke her fast with dates and milk. Then she headed to the mosque to pray before showing up at the soccer field for practice.

Sarah Hurtes is an international investigations reporter for The Times.

Sarah Hurtes is an international investigations reporter for The Times.