In the program New Moun Football Zone presenter Mounir Boualin is participating in Ramadan for the first time. In addition to participating in the holy month of fasting, he also visits well-known faces from the football world who also eat nothing between sunrise and sunset, but have to perform in a sportive manner. In the first episode of the series, he meets Mounir El Allouchi. With his 25 goals and assists, he is the most valuable player of NAC Breda in the Kitchen Champion Division this season.
By Mounir Boualin & Thijs Verhaar
“I believe that everything is predestined, including my goal. It is very special that I scored exactly when the sun went down. ” Ramadan has just started when El Allouchi scores beautifully on Friday 16 April in the away game against Roda JC Kerkrade (3-3). Immediately after making the second Breda goal, he can go to the sidelines for a bite to eat. It is his first small meal after nineteen hours without food or drink. “The lack of moisture is particularly difficult for me,” he admits. “I don’t know if that also applies to others, but I don’t have much trouble with not eating. Only during the bus trip I was hungry for a while, but I don’t think about it any further. ”
Yet it is difficult to perform at the highest level when you have to fast for your faith. Immediately after the duel, El Allouchi falls exhausted to the ground. He held up well, was valuable with his goal, kept sprinting to the end and had two more chances to score a second goal. “Physically it went fine”, he says, while gratefully chewing on a date offered. “Of course you start to feel cramps after eighty minutes because you lack moisture, but it is thirty or forty percent mental. Don’t think about it and continue playing football. It is part of the game and fortunately I also get the space for that at NAC. ”
El Allouchi especially praises trainer Maurice Steijn. “He has worked in Dubai (at Al-Wahda, ed.) And therefore knows how it works for me. When we recently went to eat with the entire selection, he told me, for example, that I could just wait in the car or go for a walk. That’s really great for him. ” The creative person is also given every opportunity to practice his religious rituals throughout the year. “That gives me confidence and a good feeling. Of course I also have to adapt to NAC in turn. That is normal. But I do get space to pray and do what is important to me. ”
Mounir El Allouchi beautifully scores the 2-2 against Roda JC.
He celebrates his goal on his knees. “A Christian makes a cross and I bow to God,” he explains his own ritual. Because of NAC’s open attitude, he feels free to do so, but he also knows that not everyone in the Netherlands supports his ideals. “It especially bothers me when people just say things without any knowledge of the facts. For example, that Islam would be misogynistic. That may be the last thing my faith dictates. If anyone is important, it will be the women. I try to explain that. ” El Allouchi never shies away from a respectful discussion. “There is just a lot of misunderstanding. That’s why I also have a lot of conversations about religion at the club. ”
The tone of those conversations is light-hearted, and El Allouchi never imposes his own beliefs on others. He does, however, draw a clear line: “I am telling you very honestly, I personally think that you should not joke about religion. Look when people start insulting me about my faith, I cannot stand that. Then you are unnecessarily provoking. Not that I get angry, but I do make people aware at such times to treat others with respect. ” At the same time, he understands that not everyone has the same lifestyle and that it makes little sense to talk to teammates about their behavior: “’All the boys have a beer after a game, I sometimes say with a wink:’ Guys, that’s not good They laugh about that, but the message is difficult to explain if they do not have a basic knowledge of my faith, ”said El Allouchi, who as a Muslim is not allowed to drink alcohol outside the fasting month.
Mounir El Allouchi in action against Jong FC Utrecht (3-1).
He would therefore celebrate a possible promotion to the Eredivisie without champagne. For the time being, however, he is not yet with his head in the approaching play-offs. First close Ramadan properly and continue to perform as well as possible. In any case, he is relieved the day after the match. Like every night in the month of fasting, he has had little sleep, but his body has recovered well and his morals are as good as ever. “It helps to be busy all the time. Being busy with good things. That is the most important thing. ”
Mounir Boualin is a freelance football vlogger, video journalist and presenter. Among other things, he makes interviews about matches for Voetbalzone.
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