God squad! The players who quit football for religion

We hear them thank Him, we read them praise Him for his part in a goal on twitter and sometimes even see them refuse to play because matches because of Him, when they fall on days they shouldn’t.

Many footballers are committed to their God, but some more so than others.

We’ve found five players who have put religion above football and said goodbye to the game to dedicate themselves to spreading the message about the greater good.

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Peter Knowles (Wolves)

When there’s a knock at the door, you’ll be hard pushed to find more of an eye-rolling open than when the in-laws are standing there clutching their overnight bags. But when Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Peter Knowles allowed Jehovah’s Witnesses in back in 1969, it all changed.

Before long, the winger many were tipping for England’s World Cup 70 squad, gave it all up to dedicate himself to God. Wolves always expected him to return, but never did. He later went on to become a milkman.

Gavin Peacock (Chelsea)

If you thought football was a controversial subject, it’s got nothing on religion. Gavin Peacock walked out on his job as a BBC pundit in 2008 to become a Pastor in Canada.

But he didn’t scuttle off quietly. No, former QPR man Peacock has tweeted a number of bizarre messages, including: “wives: respect your husband by gladly submitting to and encouraging his leadership.”

Let’s just say his preaching didn’t go down so well with the ladies on social media.

Taribo West

When you wear bright green hair to the World Cup and are accused of telling your club you are 28 when in fact your true age is 40, you won’t be surprised to find a football maverick on the list.

Former Derby County player Taribo West said goodbye to Plymouth – despite their kit matching his famous dreadlocked barnet – to spread the word of Christ instead. He’ll be bringing some serious colour to sermons, at least.

Carlos Roa (Argentina)

He beat Malaria, cancer, the end of the world oh, and England in World Cup 98 in France.

The Argentinian committed to God just before the millennium, claiming the apocalypse was coming so he had no time football. In apparently transpired that it wasn’t the end of days… and Manchester United wanted to sign him before he went all Y2K on us.

David Batty and Paul Ince wish he could have had his vision for the future a year earlier!

Jérémy Hélan (Sheffield Wednesday)

“It’s not news for me,” Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal said last September. “It’s something I’ve talked to him about since the start of the season.”

Performance? Injury? No, French winger Jérémy Hélan – a devout Muslim – wanted nothing more to do with football. He would focus on religion, and not getting the club into the Premier League. He’s currently in Saudi Arabia learning all about it.