On Facebook, an image showing several Real Madrid players performing an Islamic prayer before a match has gone viral. However, analysis of its details and several inconsistencies indicate that it is content generated by artificial intelligence.
Published on: 04/22/2026 - 7:07 p.m.
Real Madrid players praying in a locker room? This is what an image that has gone viral on Facebook purports to show. We can see Brahim Diaz, Antonio Rüdiger and Ferland Mendy in prayer positions on colorful carpets, during a moment supposedly led by Arda Güler. According to the publication, shared by a fan account of the Madrid club, the scene took place at the Allianz Arena, shortly before a match against Bayern Munich. In the comments, some Internet users welcome this moment of contemplation, while others rightly express doubts.
An accumulation of implausibilities
A first examination of the image quickly raises doubts about its authenticity. The players' hands are all placed in an identical position, anomalies typical of artificial intelligence-generated visuals.
Other inconsistencies reinforce these suspicions. On a wall, Arda Güler's jersey displays the number 24. However, until 2024, the Turkish player wore this number, before adopting 15. The number 24 is today attributed to Dean Huijsen.
Another surprising detail: the prayer mat associated with Arda Güler seems to feature a logo close to that of Liverpool FC, an incongruity for a Real Madrid player.
Finally, two players visible in the background pray in shorts, revealing their knees. However, in Muslim practice, the area of the male body to be covered during prayer extends from the navel to the knees inclusive. This rule is clearly not respected here.
A reverse image search on Google reinforces these doubts: the tool indicates that the visual was generated by Google artificial intelligence, confirming its artificial nature.
This is not the first time that Arda Güler has been at the center of misleading content of this type. On social networks, notably Facebook, AI-generated images regularly circulate showing him in Mecca, in a mosque alongside other players or even reading the Koran.
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